Kill the Moonlight
by Jaydoggg39
Summary: For the past thirty years, Ichigo Kurosaki has only known of Soul Society, and it's all he can remember since he died. Recent events force him to face his past, and he must discover the memories of his life before he can understand the future of his death.
1. Everything but the Rain

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

It had been a long day for Ichigo Kurosaki in the Fifth Squad Barracks, and he had decided to take a break as he rarely received any. Rubbing his hand along his _"X" _shaped bands and tugging at his black-and-white under-collar, he leaned back against the tree trunk planted through the barracks and attempted to take a small nap.

"...You seem quite content, Ichigo... I trust Lieutenant Hinamori's received your paperwork for the day?"

However, at the sound of his Captain's voice, the Soul Reaper was roused from his slumber. He fell from the tree onto one of the stones below, causing him to cry out in pain.

The brown-haired Captain, dressed in a high-collared Haori, raised an eyebrow in amusement as his Third Seat rubbed his sore head. The single lock of hair on the Captain's forehead was blown up by the winds as Ichigo swiftly jumped to his feet and saluted.

"Yes sir, Captain Aizen! I've given her the paperwork, sir!"

The man nodded and turned away, waving at him over his shoulder as he called, "Just making sure you're not slacking on your duties, Ichigo... I don't want the Head Captain to think that my squad has a slacker for a Captain."

Ichigo frowned and announced, "You're not a slacker! You're a great Captain, sir!"

Aizen simply chuckled as he walked out of sight, seemingly searching for his Lieutenant. Ichigo held his stance until he was sure he was gone before relaxing.

"...Tch... I'm sure he was just bothering me on purpose."

Ichigo grumbled to himself until someone called him from the rooftops of the barracks.

"Oi! Stop all your moping!"

Looking over his shoulder, the Third Seat noticed a bald Soul Reaper resting on the tiles of the rooftop. He internally sighed and stated, "Tch, Ikkaku... What are you doing here? Go mind your own business!"

The bald Soul Reaper motioned to Ichigo to follow him as he yelled, "Me and Renji are going to go meet with the others at the hidden training area! You comin'?"

Ichigo paused for a moment before shrugging, "Sure... Why not?"

* * *

_My name is Ichigo Kurosaki..._

_ I really don't remember how old I am, nor how I died... All I know is that I woke here, in the Soul Society...in some place called "Hokutan"... I didn't even know my name until a Captain gave me one..._

_ I'd lived there alone for awhile, but suddenly, people became sick when they came near me... And then the Seireitei found me... Told me that my Reiatsu was too great, and that it was killing the villagers off. They offered me a future in the Soul Society...to learn to control my Reiatsu._

_ Since then, I've become a Soul Reaper just like them... Mainly because the Hollows scare me, and I don't wanna kill the people in the Rukon District with my Reiatsu, but because it's the closest thing to going back to the Human World... So that maybe one day, I'll find out something in that world... Find something that relates to me..._

"Enough with your internal monologues, Ichigo! It's time we fight like men...and ladies...and ladies who dress like men! For Hozukimaru...it's morphin' time! Extend!"

Ichigo blinked as he suddenly found himself face-to-face with the tip of a spear. Reacting quickly, he unsheathed the large katana on his back, flipping it over his shoulder as he called out, "Flash! Zangetsu!"

The large Zanpakuto was encased in a light-blue Reiatsu shell, like a cocoon waiting to burst free. The shell began cracking, releasing white light as it completely shattered. From beneath the light, a curved, trench-knife-shaped cleaver took the place of Ichigo's former sealed Zanpakuto.

"...I see you're getting straight to the point, Ichigo! That's too boring, don't you think!?"

The Third Seat made no move to answer as his and Ikkaku's blades collided once again. Ichigo kicked him in the stomach, moving Ikkaku back, and he held his blade up to the air as he allowed the blue Reiatsu to completely encase his blade.

"...Sorry, but I'm gonna put an end to this now."

Ikkaku frowned and took off into a mad dash to stop his attack. Ichigo smirked and yelled out, "It's over...! Getsuga...!"

The bald Soul Reaper placed his spear directly in front of him as Ichigo brought his Zanpakuto down onto the wooden shaft, breaking it apart as he completely tore through Ikkaku's shoulder.

"...Tensho...!"

By the time the others arrived by climbing down the ladder, the only thing they could see was a flash of blue light, destroying a large portion of the rocky crops. The first one of the group, a redhead with his hair tied into a spiky ponytail, hopped off the ladder and onto the hard ground as he covered his eyes up and witnessed the attack. A feminine voice, quite impressed sounding, called out from behind him.

"...Mah... Ichigo's attacks are so powerful... His Reiatsu makes me feel as if I'm in the presence of a Captain..."

The red shrugged and clicked his tongue as he denied, "No way. Captain Kuchiki could still wipe the floor with this punk... You should stop praising him, and focus on becoming stronger yourself, Hinamori. You're a rank ahead of him."

The short brunette simply sighed, "I do... But he's like Toshiro... A prodigy... And he graduated in a year! It's only matter of time before Captain Aizen replaces me with him...!"

"Momo, stop being so hard on yourself. Renji's right... for once."

Behind them, another short female with dark hair slid down the ladder, followed by three more people. One had blonde hair, styled to cover his eyes, and another had spiky dark hair, along with a tattoo of _"69" _on his cheek, with scars and bandages. The last was a feminine male with an orange neck-piece and colorful eyelashes.

"How disgusting... I can't believe they started without us."

Another flash of blue light appeared in the distance, followed by multiple screams and yells. Renji simply moved to the side as Ichigo came flying past him, creating small skid marks as he slid along the ground. Rolling back into a crouch, the orange-haired Soul Reaper took off into a rush as he moved back towards Ikkaku, kneeing him in the face as the bald man entered the clearing to wave at the others.

"Ow! That was a cheap shot, Ichigo!"

Ichigo's features contorted into anger as he glared down at the man rubbing his sore nose on the ground.

"Cheap shot!? After you just knocked me all the way back there!? I was just countering, idiot!"

Ikkaku growled and soon, he and Ichigo were butting heads as they bared their fangs at the other. However, the short brunette next to Momo moved between the two as she pushed them away.

"Oi! No one said anything about any sparing matches."

The Third Seat blushed in embarrassment as he realized that everyone was already there, and scratched the back of his head as he claimed, "Ikkaku attacked me, so I had to fight back."

"You agreed to it! Don't place the blame on me!"

* * *

"So have any of you heard about the recent murders throughout the Human World?"

Ichigo paused from his rapid food consumption to pay attention to Momo as she spoke. The group, minus Ikkaku and Yumichika due to being called by their Captain, went to a small eatery in the First District. Ichigo raised an eyebrow as he asked, "Murders? In the Human World?"

The woman next to him nodded as she continued, "Yes... Karakura Town's always consisted of Hollows, but many members of the Thirteenth Squad have died trying to discover the reason... They've been investigating that area for over thirty years now..."

Something flashed in Ichigo's mind after hearing "Karakura". Blinking to clear his thoughts, he listened as Renji asked, "Are you gonna get sent there, Rukia?"

"...No... Even if I wanted to go, my brother wouldn't let me."

The tattooed man clicked his tongue in disapproval as he stated, "Nobody would want to go... If it's something above a Menos, then this is really a job for a Captain."

The blonde Soul Reaper, Kira, mused, "He's right... It's best that we Lieutenants let the Captains handle this."

Only Momo noticed how silent Ichigo had become as he listened to the conversation. She tilted her head in confusion as he blankly stared down at his food.

"...Ichigo? Are you alright?"

Waking from his silent stupor, Ichigo put up the largest grin he could muster as he said, "I'm fine! Just... Just thinking to myself."

He could tell she didn't believe him, but he cheered inwardly as she let it go, though she kept giving him worried glances the entire time. Her stares had become increasingly annoying, and she finally called, "Ichigo... I think we should go back to the barracks now... Captain Aizen is probably looking for us."

"...If he wanted to find me, he would."

Momo frowned and placed her hands on her hips as she leaned closer to him, causing him to back away. She was in her no-tolerance mode, and Ichigo sat like a prey caught in the gaze of the predator.

"...Please stop looking at me like that, Lieutenant Hinamori..."

She simply pointed to the doorway and ordered, "We're leaving to the barracks. That's an order."

Ichigo simply sighed and waved to the others as he left, slightly angry at Renji's whip-noises as he left. Momo simply apologized and bowed to everyone as she walked away.

"...Man... What's with her?"

* * *

"...Momo, Ichigo... I'm glad you two have decided to come back to work at some point."

Momo's flustered figure shivered as she quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Captain Aizen! I was jus-"

She was interrupted as the brown-haired Captain of the Fifth Squad began laughing as he walked between the two, petting the tiny woman's head as he walked by.

"I was just kidding, Momo... No need to worry. The Fourth Seat was able to finish my required paperwork in time."

Hearing that someone below her had completed her task caused her to sweat as her fingers twitched. Ichigo simply rolled his eyes as she began rapidly apologizing, promising to not let it happen again. Aizen simply chuckled, "...I told you not to worry, Momo... You should be more like Ichigo, you know... Learn to stop caring all the time."

"...What? You say something, Captain Aizen?"

Raising an eyebrow in amusement, Aizen watched as Momo quickly turned and rounded on Ichigo for his lack of respect.

"Pay attention when Captain Aizen's speaking to you! He should never have to repeat himself!"

Ichigo flinched away as she tugged on his sleeve in anger, and yelled, "Get off me, woman! I'm not doing anything!"

"That's exactly what you're supposed to not do, idiot!"

While the two continued to argue, neither one of them noticed the Soul Reaper running up to Captain Aizen with a slip of paper.

"...The Head Captain wishes to speak to all of the Captains immediately! It's about the murders in Karakura Town!"

The bespectacled man nodded as he called to the arguing pair, "Momo... Please watch the Division while I'm gone. Hopefully, this won't take much more than a few hours."

The girl quickly moved to a respectful salute as her Captain walked away, and looked over to Ichigo as he stood by idly.

"...Ichigo... I saw that look on your face in the stand...the same one on your face now... I don't want you to do it, but I know you will anyway."

The orange-haired Soul Reaper blinked as he awkwardly rubbed at his neck and asked, "What? I have no idea what you're talking about, Momo."

Soon, her hands were on her hips again and she narrowed her eyes accusingly at him as she claimed, "I know you want to go to Karakura Town to investigate the murders there..."

Ichigo's eyes widened as he vehemently denied, "No! I had no plans of going there! I heard the conversa-"

"...I've known you for a while, Ichigo... Ever since you were moved to this squad, I've watched over you... And no matter how much I've tried to keep you out of trouble, you walk yourself right back in it..."

Ichigo awkwardly scratched his cheek as Momo continued.

"...I didn't want you to argue with the others about your decision, so I brought you back here... If you really want to go...then do it while you have the chance..."

Ichigo stared at her as she held her Zanpakuto up and stabbed it at the air, and he stared in awe as the familiar gate of the Soul Reapers appeared in a burst of light.

"Momo!? How did you-?"

She held up a black butterfly in her hand as she held it out to Ichigo and explained, "Captain Aizen taught it to me... Now hurry up while the Captain's gone."

"...You really want to go behind Captain Aizen like this? Aren't you trying to stay on his good side?"

Momo simply turned away and sheathed her sword, growling out, "Stop asking stupid questions and go already!"

He stared at her for a few moments before stepping through the gate, unable to hear her last words as he crossed the worlds.

"...Please come back alive... I won't forgive you if you die."

* * *

"...Hey! Isn't that the Third Seat of Squad Five, Ichigo Kurosaki?"

A nearby Soul Reaper pointed to the rooftops, as the orange-haired Third Seat crouched against the edge of the roof. His hands were held up to his brows as he searched the distance for something.

"Yeah...! You... You aren't authorized to be here!"

Ichigo blinked as he looked down at the nameless Soul Reapers and jumped down to make contact with them. As he landed in front of them, the man repeated himself, "You're not supposed to be here! This area is under the jurisdiction of Squad Thirteen!"

"...Really? Guess I was too far away from my destination... You know where the nearest restroom is?"

The two Soul Reapers stared incredulously at the higher-seated Soul Reaper, wondering how he could keep such a straight face with that ridiculous comment. Before they could began arguing with him again, Ichigo cut them off with, "If it begins storming... I'll have to ask you to leave... Report this to Captain Ukitake if need be, but don't argue with me when the time comes."

The Soul Reapers watched as Ichigo turned around and bumped into somebody, accidentally knocking off the stranger's hat. Bending over to pick it up, he blew the dust from it and wiped it off before handing it back.

"Sorry about that... I'm surprised a human like yourself can make contact with me."

The three Soul Reapers stared at the blonde-haired man dressed in a black haori with a green suit. He dusted off his hat and placed it back onto his head as he turned to face Ichigo. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second as he gazed at the Soul Reaper in the middle.

_'That kid... He became a Soul Reaper?'_

Ichigo tilted his head as he narrowed his eyes to the man and inquired, "...Do I know you from somewhere?"

The blonde was cut from his musings as he turned and walked away, calling out over his shoulder, "Nope...! Never seen you before!"

Ichigo frowned as the man walked away, but ignored the suspicious feeling in his gut as he went back to investigating.

* * *

Frowning at the sky as it began to rain, Ichigo stood up and placed his hand on the hilt of his Zanpakuto.

"...Maybe he'll come out if I release my Reiatsu..."

Slowly unsheathing his blade, he prepared to discharge his Spiritual Pressure until the sound of blood-curling screams resonated in his ear. His eyes wide, he turned down to look towards the other Soul Reapers. He flinched as he gazed upon their tattered and destroyed bodies, bathed in blood, until he felt the appearance of something behind him.

Ichigo slowly turned his head until he made eye contact with another being. The stranger wore a tattered, white coat tied with a yellow ribbon. It wielded a large scythe over the red cape it wore. Ichigo's brown eyes met with a single lavender eye, as the other was covered beneath spiky, dark hair. Upon further studying, Ichigo noted that the person in front of him was female, if the open cleavage had anything to do with it, and that between the valley of her breasts was the hole of a Hollow.

The monster stared towards Ichigo with a wide, demented grin on her face, and she opened her wide mouth to scream out to the distance. Ichigo frowned and asked, "...Who the fuck are you...?"

* * *

Trivia:

-The title of the Fiction comes in play in Chapter 5.

-Ichigo and most of the other characters are all dressed in their appearances after the defeat of Aizen (excluding Yamamoto's lack of arm). Aizen's, Gin's, and Tosen's appearances are all based on their appearances after they escaped (When they wore the Arrancar robes over their Shihakusho).

Aizen's hair has the single curl, though he's still wearing the glasses. His Captain's Haori has a high-collar on it.

Gin is dressed in a long-sleeved Haori with a collar on it. Like his Arrancar robes, it's sown together near the waist area.

Tosen's outfit is virtually similar to Kensei's TBtP, except he has the orange rope like when he escaped to Hueco Mundo.

-Ichigo was a Fullbringer when he was still human, though he doesn't remember it.

-Zangetsu's command, Flash, was selected for multiple reasons.

Getsuga Tensho is a flash of light.

His Bankai allows him to Flash Step faster.

I figured if Isshin's was something as simple as 'Burn', then there's no need for a long and complicated poem or something dark and menacing.

-Ichigo's sealed Zanpakuto is the same one from the beginning of the series. Zangetsu's Shikai and Bankai are his updated Fullbring versions.

-The Hollow is based on Dark Rukia, though the female is someone different.


	2. Everything but the Rain 2

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"...This...This pressure's intense... I can feel it from over here."

Far off in the distance of Karakura Town, an auburn-haired, large-busted teenager sat on her bed, gazing solemnly out of the window of the room. From her position, she spotted the incoming storm and the clashing of two souls directly below it. She frowned, as one of them was a Hollow, and the other...

"...A Soul Reaper..."

She thinned her lips as she finally hopped from her mattress and ran to her closet, opening it up to reach for her school uniform. After hastily equipping herself with her clothing, she rushed to her door and opened it, almost bumping into the person outside of it.

When she realized who was outside of her door, she jumped back in fright and exclaimed, "...Ahh! He-Hey, Big Brother!"

The male blinked as the woman exited, and then narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he accused, "...Are you leaving towards that source of Reiatsu...? You know Dad would be displeased, Orihime."

The woman's warm, hazel eyes swept back and forward as she searched for an exit. Before she could move, her elder brother grabbed her arm and pulled her back before she could get too far.

"I'm not letting you leave, Orihime. I'm not gonna take the heat for you when dad gets home!"

The man soon found himself placed on the floor, and cursed the quick uppercut Orihime delivered to him as she ran away. She waved over her shoulders and announced, "I'm sorry, Sora! Please tell my father that I'm with my friends!"

As she exited, Sora wiped his hand down his face in annoyance as he groaned, "I hope dad's not gonna come home anytime soon..."

"...Where is Orihime going?"

_'Shit!'_

* * *

_ 'This Hollow... It doesn't have a mask... What is she?'_

Ichigo watched as the feminine Hollow's demonic mouth widened as it roared to the heavens. Adrenaline fueling his movements, Ichigo reached for his Zanpakuto as it dashed to him with its scythe reared back.

_'This bitch isn't kiddin' around!'_

Unsheathing his blade, Ichigo stabbed it forward as it made contact with the bladed edge of the Hollow's weapon. After a short clash, Ichigo was pushed away, coming to a skidding stop as he slid across the air with his oversized Zanpakuto.

_'Such power... She pushed me away without even trying!'_

With a loud roar, the Hollow quickly chased Ichigo down, her scythe colliding with Ichigo's and creating sparks.

_'...It's obvious she's a Hollow... But I feel... I feel like I'm clashing blades with another Soul Reaper...'_

"...You're one tough cookie, huh?"

As if making a response, the Hollowfied banshee screeched and moved to attack again. Ichigo, prepared this time, reared his blade back to strike. He suddenly heard loud yell from behind him.

"Third Seat Ichigo Kurosaki! You are not authorized to be-"

Ichigo turned back to the incoming Soul Reaper and interrupted, "There's no time for that shit! Go away!"

Displeased with being annoyed, the Hollow held up its scythe like a staff, allowing dark violet energy to mold itself onto it. Ichigo turned back to the demonic woman as he realized what it was planning to do, and the other Soul Reaper commented, "Is...Is... Is that a Cero!?"

"Get the hell away!"

However, the man was too late, and the sickle-like Cero slammed into him, carrying him off into the distance and exploding before Ichigo's eyes.

* * *

"...Lieutenant Hinamori?"

Momo paused from her paper filing and turned back as her Captain walked into the room, followed by the Captain of the Third Squad, Gin Ichimaru. He, like Aizen, was dressed in a long-sleeved Haori with a collar. At the mid-point of his waist, the robe was sown together.

"Why... If it isn't Lieutenant Hinamori... Such a pleasure to see you again... I trust you've been doing well?"

Eyes widened, Momo quickly bowed down as she cried, "Captain Aizen, Captain Ichimaru! I... I... Did the...uhh... Did the meeting turn out okay?"

Aizen frowned and answered, "It turned out just like the others... The Captains feel the need to investigate the murders, but Yamamoto won't let us... But forget about that... Where is Third Seat Kurosaki?"

The Lieutenant tensed up as she struggled to come with a lie... Not only could she not tell her Captain a lie, but the crooked grin on the Third Division leader's face didn't make her feel better,

"...If I may say, Captain Aizen, but I do believe that your Third Seat's Reiatsu is nowhere to be found here... Might he be in the Human World, trying to investigate for himself, Lieutenant Hinamori?"

Momo's eyes widened as Gin looked pointedly to Captain Aizen, who stared to the ground with a blank face. He suddenly turned on his heel and cursed as he walked out of the door.

"Cap-Captain Aizen!?"

Aizen motioned over his shoulder for Gin to follow him, and the Third Division Captain did so with no hesitation. Momo watched as he turned the corner, gazing at his last movements with confusion written on her face. The last thing she heard was, "Let's go find Tosen."

* * *

"...That Cero...nearly wiped that entire mountain range out..."

Ichigo watched as the smoke cleared, and the female Hollow idled as she waited for his next move.

"...Alright... This joke is over... You're not an ordinary Hollow!"

The Hollow frowned and twisted on her heels, clashing with Ichigo as he brought his blade down on her form.

"...You fight like a Soul Reaper... Soul Society should have found your ass a long time ago... The only way they couldn't have found you...is if you've been hidden away by someone... Who's covering your ass!?"

The banshee smirked and tilted her head. Much to Ichigo's shock, she actually spoke, and the raspy, feminine voice brought a haunted chill to his bones.

_"...Does that really matter? The only thing that matters... Is that we're able to fight to our heart's content! Come on! Show me something else, big boy!"_

Ichigo hopped away as she swung her scythe over his head, flipping as he landed on a nearby roof.

"...So you're a sick, psychopathic freak like those from the Eleventh Division, huh? Guess I'll have to kick it up a notch... Be careful, though..."

Pointing his blade up, Ichigo watched as it was enshrouded in blue light, and the Hollow watched on intrigued.

"...Don't let the light pass you by... _Flash! Zangetsu!_"

The light twisted around the blade as it forged into a cleaver-like shape, and Ichigo slammed it down with great intensity as he screamed, "_Getsuga Tensho!_"

The feminine Hollow watched in shock as the blue light flashed in front of her, and she soon found herself blown away by the sheer force of it.

Ichigo watched as the Hollow disappeared in a flash of light, and waited until she appeared again.

_"That was nice, boy, but I can sense your strength from here! I know you have Bankai!"_

Swiftly twisting his body around, Ichigo swung his blade in a backwards arc as he yelled his trademarked technique again, clashing with the Hollow's incoming Cero.

The explosion resounded through the town, reducing the building below them to rubble and debris. Ichigo jumped away from the smoke and dust and landed on another building, skidding to a slow stop as he wiped away the blood from his lip.

"...This chick is insane... If this keeps up... I'm gonna have to use my Bankai..."

Before he could raise his blade to make any action, he felt a searing pain in his back, which nearly caused him to drop his blade.

"...What the...?"

* * *

"...Was that really necessary?"

Three hooded figures gazed at the fight from afar. The middle figure turned to his left, where his dark-skinned ally had questioned him and stated, "...I had to... The force from his Bankai, if he has achieved that, would likely destroy a portion of the town... We can't have him incarcerated by the higher ups of Soul Society for using his full strength in the Human World."

The figure on the right held a taunting smirk under his hood as he commented, "Considering ya sicked that bitch on him in the first place, it's your fault that it had to come to this."

"...I didn't... She wanted to fight him, so I let her go... I wanted to see what he was capable of..."

The dark-skinned one stared over to the center figure and growled, "What if she Hollowfies him...? Do you believe things will work out as planned if he's a Hollow...?"

"...She won't... She might move on Hollow instinct, but her actions are influenced by her human remnants... Her humanity will not allow that to happen to such a close friend."

The grinning figure on the right asked, "Such a weird Hollow... I do wonder about her mask, though? Ain't she supposed to have one to evolve?"

"...She broke it...the first time she fought Ichigo... She's no longer a normal Hollow."

Before the other could comment, the dark-skinned one interrupted, "He knows that a Soul Reaper attacked him..."

* * *

"Bastard! Which one of you fuckers hit me!? I know a Soul Reaper's behind this! Where are you and your lackeys, huh!?"

As Ichigo screamed out into the distance, he realized that the Hollow was coming down on him from the sky and raised Zangetsu up to block.

"Getsuga Tenshun!"

The blade was once again encased in blue light, though it stuck to the blade instead being released, keeping him shielded from the Hollow's powerful blow. Using the ground as leverage, Ichigo flipped the woman over his body.

_'I could use my Bankai... But there's no telling whether that Soul Reaper will attack me again...'_

Before he realized it, the Hollow quickly jabbed at him and sent him flying from the rooftops, dashing after as he prepared Zangetsu.

"Take this! Getsuga Tensho!"

* * *

Orihime gazed in awe as the blue light lit the skies up. Something smoky came flying from the sky, and she moved out of the way to dodge it. Looking down at it, she realized that it was the arm of the being locked in combat with the Soul Reaper. Before she could walk over to it, she began stumbling as a nearby explosion drew her attention.

She listened as he called out, "Even with an arm gone... You can still fight like this? I'm really beginning to have the sneaking suspicion... that you were once a member of the Eleventh Division."

The Hollow's only response was to dash to Ichigo with another swing, which he simply blocked again. However, he was easily overpowered and forced to the ground, still attempting to fight as he was knocked on his back.

"Damn!"

The female Hollow leaned in closer to him, and he could feel her breathe and tongue on his ear. She whispered, _"Do you remember, now, Ichigo...? Have you come to your senses?"_

"Remember...? What the hell are you talking about?"

The woman growled in retaliation as she continued, _"I just want you to remember, Ichigo...! Even If I have to force you!"_

Ichigo watched in mild disgust as she held her tongue out in front of him. Wondering what as going on, he was surprised when a small, violet light appeared at the tip of her tongue, and he cursed as realized what she was doing.

"Shit...!"

Before the Cero could touch him, something swept in between him and the woman, separating them from each other. Looking over his shoulder, he spotted a girl a distance away with a five-pronged, star-like weapon. The thing that soared past him flew back to her, adding another prong to her weapon.

"...Who is she?"

He then realized that the Hollow turned her attention away from him and took off towards the woman, causing him to cry out, "Wait! Leave her outta this! This is between you and me!"

The woman continued shooting at the Hollow who maneuvered her way between them all. She cursed as she couldn't land a clean shot.

"...Then I'll have to use that..."

The Hollowfied woman roared as she struck at the intruder with her Cero-charged scythe, which promptly made contact with an orange, pyramid-like shield.

"...Sorry, Hollow Lady... But it's over... _Shiten Koshun._"

The Hollow paused as her hole widened further with the large blast reflected back at her. She slowly faded away, gazing at the one who ended her existence.

_...You look... So much like her... The resemblance is uncanny..._

The auburn-haired woman stepped back in shock as she saw the glowing light of the Hollow's body, and she realized immediately what was happening. She knew she wouldn't be able to escape the blast radius in time.

_I'm sorry...I can't control what this body does... I failed, though... I let this happen...so I could get the power to save my friend... It's too late for that... So I'm leaving Ichigo to you...little Orihime... I hope you can succeed...where I have failed..._

The last thing Orihime saw was a flash of black, and then nothing else.

* * *

"...What's she doing here...?"

The cloaked figure in the middle replied, "...Don't know... It's an interesting development, though... I wonder what will happen next..."

"...I think we should leave... We're done here... Ichigo can take care of himself from here..."

* * *

When she finally opened her eyes, she realized that she was okay...but the battered and broken body of the Soul Reaper on the ground was definitely not. His right sleeve and back was torn to shreds, and blood matted the ground around him. With a small gasp, she ran over to him as he attempted to move and yelled, "Are you okay!?"

The Soul Reaper on the ground groaned, "Ah... Not really... That hurt like hell... But I'll have to... thank you for saving me, won't I?"

The woman frowned as she crouched down to help him, though he only waved her away with a laugh. She finally replied, "No... You saved me... That explosion would have definitely killed me if you hadn't showed up..."

"Heh... Don't sweat it... You saved me first, so I guess we're even..."

She simply blinked at him, but said, "...I'm going to heal you now... Please try not to move...," and waved her hands over him, covering him an orange barrier.

After a few moments of awkward silence, he finally spoke out, "...But...that Hollow pushed me to the brink... The fact that you defeated her so easily... You're not so normal either... Who are you?"

She paused as she struggled to come up with an answer.

_'...I can't tell him...everything about me... If he knew, he'd kill me...'_

As he waited, he finally heard the slight whisper from her lips.

"Orihime Inoue...," she softly spoke, leading him to look up at her in shock as something flashed in his mind. She then finished with, "...a human...that can see spirits."

The Soul Reaper stared at her for a few moments before smiling as he collapsed back onto the gravel.

"...How shameful... being saved by a human... I'm gonna be the laughing stock of Soul Society when I return... Ikakku and Renji'll never let me live this one down..."

Orihime frowned as she listened to him. Though she should have been offended by his comments, she could tell he was joking.

"...Regardless... I wonder what kinda powers you must have... I never knew humans could develop such abilities..."

She woke from her stupor as she realized that he was still speaking to her. She hesitantly replied, "...My mother... I got them from my mother."

"Heh...you get it from your momma, huh? She must have been quite the person..."

Orihime giggled as she let the barrier fade away, and the two sat in silence. Eventually, the Soul Reaper spoke and said, "I really wish I could stay and chat with you a little longer, but I can sense a squad of Soul Reapers heading this way, including my Captain... I'll have to ask you to leave now before they steal your memories of tonight..."

Eventually, she felt the incoming pressures, and stood to leave the area. Before she could move, she heard his voice speak again.

"Oi... The name's...Ichigo Kurosaki...a Soul Reaper... Maybe we can... meet again one day...under better circumstances?"

She looked over her shoulder, noting the small grin etched under his sun-kissed, orange hair. She smiled in response and nodded as she turned back to run across the cemented ground.

* * *

Trivia:

-This Orihime and Sora are completely different from Canon, though who they are is in the next chapter.

-Getsuga Tenshun roughly translates to "Moon Fang Heaven Neglect", which is basically a defensive shield created with the power of Getsuga Tensho. The 'Shun' is a reference to Orihime's abilities.

While the main ability of Zangetsu in this Fiction is Getsuga Tensho, he can create other techniques using Getsuga Tensho.

-There were actually a bunch of other females I had planned in Orihime's position (Bambietta, Riruka, and Nel came to mind, with a 'Quincy' Ichigo and Rukia reverse situation also), but neither of them sounded great to me when I wrote it. Originally, Tatsuki was selected, but I felt Orihime made more sense (which is in next chapter).


	3. The Human

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"...And that's it... That's the end of my report."

Ichigo felt extremely nervous and out of place as he surrounded by the powerhouses of the Gotei Thirteen; the Captains and Lieutenants themselves. The strongest of them, the Head Captain of the forces and the Captain of the First Division, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, stepped forward as Ichigo finished his report.

"Hm... You do know that such an action is punishable by law, Ichigo Kurosaki? I could easily have you sent to the Second Division's Maggot's Nest..."

Nervously, he glanced out of the corner of his eye to Captain Sui Feng, who simply raised an eyebrow as she stared blankly at him. Sweating bullets, he turned back Yamamoto as the old man spoke.

"...However, thanks to you, the threat was eliminated before it could cause more casualties, and the damage to the human world, while large, was not as threatening as it could have been. I will overlook your insolence simply for that reason."

Ichigo lightly cheered, "Aw, hell yeah!" before realizing he was still surrounded by the Captains, who all raised an eyebrow at him. In response, he quickly bowed down and corrected himself with, "I mean... Thank you for such an honor, Head Captain Yamamoto!"

Ignoring a comment by the creepy Captain of the Twelfth Division, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Ichigo turned to rush out of the hall, but was stopped by the booming voice of the Head Captain.

"Wait just a moment..."

The Third Seat stopped in his tracks as he turned to face the Head Captain. The elderly man continued, "I can't help but feel that you didn't report everything... Are you sure that the Hollow was killed in such a way?"

Ichigo paused as Orihime's image flashed in his mind, and he simply replied, "No... That's all of it..."

* * *

"Fool!"

Ichigo groaned as he was hit over his head by one Rukia Kuchiki, followed by another one, courtesy of Momo Hinamori.

"I'm never letting you outta my sight again! You almost died, idiot!"

Ichigo swung his fist wildly as he attempted to deflect the incoming blows. He had just walked out of the meeting with the Captains, and he was under attack by two angry mother hens.

"Stop it! I didn't know that I'd run into such a monster! It's not my fault! Besides, the Head Captain thinks I'm a hero, so all's well that ends well!"

A moment of silence reigned after Ichigo crossed his arms, and he, once again, felt the pain of the females' fists. As he ran away from the raging females, he almost collided into the form of his Captain.

"Ca-Captain Aizen! I...uhh..."

The man raised an eyebrow as he grabbed Ichigo on the shoulder and smiled, commenting, "I'm just here to tell you that you did a good job... You did something that many other Soul Reapers would have left alone, so I have to commend you for a job well done... If there were open slots... I would have probably recommended you for a Captain's position after this little incident."

Both Ichigo's and the girls' jaws dropped after Aizen made his statement. As he was still shocked, another voice spoke from behind them.

"...I would have to disagree, Captain Aizen... Such a brash decision is unfitting of a Captain."

Ichigo turned around as he realized that he was in the presence of another Captain. The dark-skinned Captain of the Ninth Division, Kaname Tosen, created loud, echoing steps in his white boots as he stepped into the area with his Lieutenant, Shuhei Hisagi. Both of them had their sleeves rolled up, though Tosen had a short-sleeved Haori over it, with an orange rope wrapped over his shoulders.

"...Power comes easily to those who believe in justice, but to disregard laws and practices is the opposite of such... You must learn to obey before you can lead, Kurosaki."

Glaring at the man as he and Shuhei walked past him, with the Lieutenant giving him a thumbs up, Ichigo was brought out of his stupor when Aizen patted him on the back and joked, "Disregard Kaname... Power _is_ the only requirement for such a position... Otherwise, the Eleventh Division wouldn't have existed."

* * *

_'I wonder if that guy made it back to Soul Society okay... I hope he didn't get into too much trouble because of me...'_

"Oi! Orihime!"

She was cut from her musing as a girl with twin maroon pigtails waved her hands in Orihime's face to draw her attention. Orihime blinked as she paused in her walking.

"...Riruka? What is it?"

The girl's eyes narrowed as she repeated her earlier question, "I asked you about your whereabouts the other day... You didn't come back to base..."

Orihime's eyes popped out for a second as she struggled to think up an excuse. Eventually, she sighed and just told her the truth.

"...I saw a Soul Reaper being attacked by some weird Hollow... So I went to help..."

Riruka raised an eyebrow as she and Orihime stopped at a crosswalk. She turned to her and asked, "Did you kill him afterward? If he was injured, you could've taken him back to base with no problems."

Orihime awkwardly brought her finger to her temple as she scratched at it and meekly replied, "I...uhh... I healed him and let him escape..."

The shorter girl paused in the middle of the street, and only moved when Orihime pulled her to the other side.

"...What...? You... You let him go?"

Orihime whistled as she tried hurry away, though Riruka grabbed her and pulled her back. She flinched from the girl's anger as Riruka screamed, "Why the hell would you do that!? They're here to investigate the murders and kidnappings, and you let him go!?"

"...I just... I...wasn't thinking... He just..."

Riruka threw her hands in the air as huffed in annoyance and groaned, "You never think, idiot! What are you gonna do when Soul Society finds out about us!? Ginjo's gonna have your ass when he hears about this!"

"...I know... But I didn't tell him everything about me... I just healed him and let him go... Considering that Hollow was so powerful, Soul Society probably believes that it was responsible for it..."

Riruka sighed as she walked away, and Orihime silently followed.

_ ...I didn't tell him about me... About Mom, nor my father... If I was to tell him about them... Then he would definitely have killed me on the spot... That Hollow is dead, and Soul Society probably believes they're safe..._

"Did you even get the guy's name? We can be on the look out if we ever see him again, then we can rectify your mistake."

Orihime slightly frowned at the "mistake" comment, but held her finger to her chin as she thought about it.

"...He had spiky-orange hair and a large sword on his back... His outfit was different from the other Soul Reapers, with these weird, '_X_' shaped marks on his arm and a black and white collar..."

As she began describing him, Riruka once again paused in her steps, but didn't say a word. Orihime continued, "...And he said his name was..."

_Oi... The name's..._

"...Ichigo Kurosaki..."

Orihime stopped as Riruka's breath caught in her throat, and tilted her head in worry.

"Riruka? Are you alright?"

She shook her head in response as she breathe out, and turned to Orihime and said, "We're going to speak with Ginjo...now."

* * *

_'That Hollow... It was pretty weird, though... It knew my name and everything... She kept telling me to remember, but I don't know what the hell I was supposed to have remembered... I wonder about those bastard Soul Reapers that blindsided me...'_

"Kurosaki."

Hearing his name called, he turned in the direction of the sound, and blanched when he discovered its source.

"Cap-Captain Sui Feng! Uhh...What...What is it that...you require of me?"

The petite Captain of the Second Division stood behind him, arms crossed as she sized him up.

"...You seem to have lost the standard I set for you when you were a part of the Stealth Force... You don't look like you've been training at all."

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment as he hastily replied, "I have! I've been training for a long time! I even achieved Bankai!" Deep in his mind, he mentally answered, '_Not really... Damned boot camp sergeant... I'm done with you and your squad...'_

"I know about your Bankai. I'm still not impressed."

The Third Seat deadpanned as she gave him the same blank expression she's always given him.

"...You still haven't told me what you wanted from me, Captain Sui Feng..."

The Captain raised an eyebrow as she walked past him and simply said, "I never said I wanted anything from you... Is it hard to believe that I might want to socialize with a former member of my unit?"

"Yes."

Sui Feng smirked and flicked him in the forehead before walking off. Before she left the area, she called out, "...Do note...that if you ever feel the need to come back to the Second Division...there's a Lieutenant spot open for you."

Ichigo rubbed his head in confusion and asked, "I thought Marechiyo Omaeda was your Lieutenant?"

"Arrangements will be made if you ever decide to come back."

Ichigo scratched his head in confusion as his former Captain walked away. After clearing his mind, he continued his trek back to his Division to get ready for tomorrow.

* * *

"...Ichigo... Kurosaki..."

Orihime mumbled out the name of a certain Soul Reaper as she walked aimlessly around Karakura.

She and Riruka had met with Kugo Ginjo, and but she left with more questions than answers... Particularly the relationship between Ichigo and Ginjo, as the man nearly had a fit upon hearing the name.

_That little fucker... I can't believe he's back... I thought he was dead..._

_ 'So did Ginjo fight him? I've never seen him on patrol in Naruki or Karakura... That must have been some time ago...'_

"Yo, Orihime...!"

She twisted her head as the familiar voice sounded in her ear, and she happily smiled and called out, "Tatsuki!"

The dark, spiky-haired teenager quickly jogged towards Orihime before she could move into the house. She stopped in front of Orihime, and the orange-haired girl felt a sinking sensation at the sly grin on the girl's face.

"...I heard... That you punched your brother, and that Dad was gonna get you when you came back."

Blinking, Orihime asked, "Who?"

"...I did."

The stern voice from behind Orihime nearly caused her to jump out of her stockings as she turned around. She gazed past the glasses and into the stern, narrowed blue eyes of the man behind her. His dark hair waved around his face as he stared down at her.

"Fa-Father!? Oh, crap! I gotta g-"

Her father reached over and grabbed her, pulling her into house and leaving it open for Tatsuki to walk through.

_'Why does everyone keep grabbing me!?'_

* * *

"...So I hear from Sora that you left to save a Soul Reaper."

Orihime's eyes fluttered left and right as she searched for an escape route, though she knew she wouldn't be able to escape her dad. Sora and Tatsuki sat on either side of her as they watched.

"...Yes..."

The man tilted his head and asked, "Why?"

"...He was injured from fighting that Hollow... And I couldn't just let him die..."

Her father sighed and placed his head in his hands as he mumbled to himself, "Just like your mother..."

Orihime frowned and commented, "Why are you speaking like that's a bad thing? I'm proud of being like my mother!"

"You don't know about half of the things your mother did... She died before you could understand her quirks... _all _of them."

She growled in response as she leaned back in her chair, arms crossed as she grumbled to herself.

"...What was that, Orihime?"

She stood from her, knocking it far behind her as she yelled, "I said that things would have been better if she were still here! She would have been proud of what I've done!"

"Orihime Ishida, don't you dare raise your-"

She turned away and cried out, "Don't you dare refer me to that name! My name is Orihime Inoue, just like my mother! You might claim to be my father, but there's no way in hell that I'd ever call you Dad!"

The Ishida Patriarch let his head fall to the dinner table of his home as she ran up to her room. Sighing to himself as he prepared to rise, a hand on his shoulder kept him still. He turned and looked at Tatsuki as she stated, "...I think it would be best if you leave it to me... No one knows a twin better than her counterpart..."

* * *

"...It seems _he _is still out there... That girl was a Fullbringer... She had the Xcution symbol on her wristband."

Aizen looked over to Tosen as he operated his computer set. He shrugged and commented, "I saw... Ginjo's still out there... We can go find him later... First thing's first, however, is retrieving _that _before we leave..."

"...What are you talking about? Urahara has a close grasp on that Hogyoku... There ain't no way we gonna get that thing unless we knock on Urahara's door and ask nicely."

Tosen and Aizen both turned towards the door as Gin stepped in. He walked over to another computer and began typing in keys for Karakura Town.

"...That wasn't what I was referring to... At the current moment, it's a lost cause... I'm more intrigued by something else..."

Both Gin and Tosen slowly turned to face Aizen with confusion clearly written on their faces.

"...Whaddya mean about not wantin' the Hogyoku? That's the whole point, right? We need that to kick-start the more powerful Arrancar, right?"

When Aizen made no move to answer immediately, Tosen began to worry, and Gin continued to blink incessantly.

Finally, Aizen reached into his robes and pulled out a tube containing mixtures of all kinds.

"...Is that rainbow-in-a-bottle, Captain Aizen? The hell does that have to do with anything?"

Aizen grinned darkly as his single lock fell over his left eye. The dark-skinned Captain nearly cursed at Gin for asking.

"...This...contains a sample from the four types of races... Humans, Hollows, Soul Reapers, and Quincies... The Arrancar's are Hollows that have attained the powers of a Soul Reaper, and the opposite would be a human who has gained the powers of a Soul Reaper..."

Tosen snapped his fingers as he realized immediately, "That means we have to go after Ginjo at some point... He's the only remaining Substitute Soul Reaper..."

"As I said... He's a viable source of power for the Espada later... I'm more focused on the other side of the spectrum... The opposite of an Arrancar..."

The Third Division Captain raised an eyebrow in confusion as he scratched at his head, and the other inquired, "...Do you mean a Hollow...that has abandoned its form for that of a Quincy? Wasn't that woman married to Captain Shiba the result of that?"

"...That was a Quincy doing the opposite... But what if an Arrancarification... a Hollow gaining Soul Reaper-like powers... What if it was stabilized by something else? Like... Quincification, perhaps?"

The Ninth Division Captain held his chin as he though about the capabilities, and Gin raised an eyebrow and commented, "Quincification? That is the absolute worst name I've ever heard... I think Reishification sounds better..."

Tosen smacked his head in annoyance, and Aizen sighed as he shook his head, ignoring Gin as the silver-haired man continued, "...Maybe Arrowfication... But besides all of that, what is it that we're looking for?"

Instead of answering, Aizen walked over to Tosen's console and pressed a single key, bringing up a photograph of Ichigo during his Division transfer.

"...Ichigo?"

The Fifth Squad Captain shook his head and pressed another key, zooming in closer to Ichigo's neck, where a charm rested.

"...You see that? That charm was given to him by his father when he died, and it has stayed with him ever since... That charm was given to the former Captain Shiba by Masaki Kurosaki herself... That charm has a protective Quincy Kirchenlied embedded on it... That is what we're after."

* * *

Trivia:

-Since Orihime's abilities are never really given a title, her abilities are Fullbring in this fiction, and her mother's (Original Orihime) clip is her Fullbring. Due to her Quincy Abilities, she can forge a six-pronged bow, similar to Uryu, from the clip, and fire Tsubaki (Her attacking fairy) like an arrow. That means she's a Fullbring-Quincy hybrid.

-Sora Ishida and Orihime Ishida(Inoue) both look like their original counterparts due to their mother, and Tatsuki Ishida's dark hair comes from Uryu. They all have Uryu's blue eyes. Uryu basically looks like Ryuken, except his hair is still dark.

Continuing from the last chapter trivia, Tatsuki(Ishida, and Orihime's fraternal twin) was originally the character that finds Ichigo, as she would have been named after Orihime's friend, and her appearance would have been explained by Uryu. However, I couldn't picture Tatsuki firing bows and using hair clips, so I opted for Orihime.

-The family is also a reference to Ichigo's family: Tatsuki, the dark haired, tomboy fraternal twin of Orihime, who is the twin most like their mother. Sora is overprotective elderly brother. The mother is deceased, and the children consistently argues with their father (albeit a more serious manner).

-Sui Feng's appearance wasn't completely random.

-I didn't want to bring the Hogyoku as a main point in the story, so I changed it for Ichigo's charm.

The charm is the same one from Canon that Isshin gives to Ichigo before he leaves for Soul Society, which is the one that protected Kon from Grand Fisher. In Canon, it's suggested he lied about it being from Matsuki, but in the fiction, it was from Masaki and was embedded with Quincy charms.


	4. Kill the Moonlight

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

_Do you remember, now, Ichigo...? Have you come to your senses?_

_ I just want you to remember, Ichigo... Even If I have to force you!_

Ichigo stared into the Koi pond of the Fifth Squad Barracks as the Hollow continued to appear in his mind.

"...What am I...supposed to remember?"

A voice next to him woke him from his stupor, and he turned to face Momo as she plopped down next to him.

"...What's up, Ichigo? You look pretty down... Well, more than usual."

She giggled at his deadpanned expression as he turned back to the fishes weaving through the pond. After a moment of silence, Ichigo finally asked, "Do you...by any chance, do you know who sent me to the Rukongai?"

Momo blinked and stared back at him, hesitantly answering, "No one really knows that...but you're from Hokutan, right?" Ichigo nodded, and Momo continued, "That district is usually under the watch of the Ninth Division, considering they're the security division, and Hokutan's closer to the Seireitei... You might want to talk to Shuhei or Captain Tosen."

Ichigo nodded and moved to stand up, moving to walk out of the area. As he began to march away, Momo sighed and asked, "...You're not gonna get yourself in trouble again, are you Ichigo?"

Waving over his shoulder, he answered, "Nah... Not this time."

* * *

"Shuhei!" Ichigo called out as he knocked on the Lieutenant's door to his office at the Ninth Division barracks. Knocking a few more times, Ichigo realized he wasn't there and turned away. He paused in shock when he almost ran into the Captain of the Ninth Division, Kaname Tosen, standing in front of him.

"...If you are looking for Shuhei, he's been sent to the Human World with students from the Academy... He will be back shortly, if you wish to wait for him."

Blinking to clear away his shock, he nodded...then realized that Tosen couldn't see him nodding and saluted, "Yes, sir... But I have a question myself..."

"...A question? For me?"

Ichigo nodded again...then sighed and said, "Um... Yeah... I heard the Ninth Division is the one responsible for the defense of Seireitei and the closer districts to Soul Society..."

"Correct."

After pausing to think about wording his question, he finally inquired, "I know your division found me in Hokutan... But do you know about the person who sent me there?"

"...No Soul Reaper has the power to send a Soul where they choose... When Konso is performed, they are randomly sent to a Rukon District... Few Soul Reapers remember each individual that was sent to Soul Society."

Ichigo sighed, "Sorry for troubling you, Captain Tosen," and turned to walk away. However, Tosen caused him to pause in his footsteps by saying, "...But I'm one of those few... I was the one who performed Konso on you."

Pausing in his steps, he turned back to the Captain and pointed, crying out, "You!?"

"Yes."

Since the fight with the Hollow, Ichigo's spirits rose as he realized the answer to his question was right in front of him.

"Do you... Do you know anything about me!? Like, what I was doing, or who was there...!? What about how I died!?"

Tosen blinked as Ichigo began firing off questions, and waited until he was done speaking. When Ichigo finally realized his rambling was annoying the Captain, he quieted down and waited for a response.

"From what I remember, you must have been spiritually-aware, as you could clearly see me before you passed away. You were fighting something, as you were bleeding terribly, so I waited for you to die before sending you to Soul Society."

Ichigo blinked at the deadpanned nature of Tosen's answer, and he had the frightening vision of someone being tortured and watched by the Captain.

"...You...watched me die?"

Tosen simply replied, "Yes. Near the border of Naruki City and Karakura Town."

The dark-skinned man could feel the excitement rolling off Ichigo in waves, and knew immediately that he wanted to go back to Karakura Town.

"...You've gotten in trouble one time, Kurosaki... Don't do it again."

Considering he could no longer feel the boy's Reiatsu, he realized that he probably didn't hear him as he left, and sighed in response.

"I guess I better go tell Aizen..."

* * *

"...He's not..."

Tosen blinked and repeated, "He is. He'll be at your Senkaimon in a few seconds..."

"He won't... I told Lieutenant Hinamori to keep it sealed away... She's done the same to Gin's Lieutenant, Izuru Kira, and Rukia Kuchiki... With the noble's blocking him from their Senkaimon, he has nowhere to run... It is imperative that we keep him in Soul Society... If he's banished like_ them_, Urahara and the others will get their hands on him."

The Ninth Division Captain shrugged and sat down in his chair to activate the computer terminal.

"...If that's the case, how do we take his charm? By force, or...?"

Aizen shook his head and answered, "Too many eyes around... I'm already constantly being followed... It takes a lot of effort to escape them."

Startled, Tosen quickly jumped from his terminal and shouted, "...Who!? Have we been discovered!?"

The other man shrugged and replied, "I haven't discovered their identities yet, but I know there are some who don't trust me... Which means I need to go underground soon..."

"So we're starting the plan now?"

As the two conversed, another one resonated through the room.

"Mah... Finally we're starting... I've been gettin' a little bored o' this place... What do ya want me and Tosen to do?"

Aizen chuckled at his subordinate's annoyed face that he pulled the moment Gin stepped into the room. He looked over to him and commented, "You're late... You're always late, Gin."

The grin on the Third Division Captain's widened as he jested, "..._Sorry_ that I have life other than you, Captain Aizen... I met a cute girl in the Rukon District, and she offered to give me-"

Tosen interrupted quickly with, "No! Shut up, Gin! We don't have time for this!"

The silver-haired man laughed and turned back to Aizen, "You know that we need a distraction first... We need someone to take the blame so we can do everything we need to before leaving."

"...I have the perfect distraction. Don't worry about it."

* * *

A man sighed as the rain pelted down towards the pavement. The clinking of glass behind him held little distraction from the loud drops outside, and he held his open hand out as a remote flew to him. He changed the station to a local news report speaking about terrorist in the area.

"...I guess the Soul Reapers must be on their jobs if they're swarming around here... These... 'terrorist attacks'... are getting a little ridiculous, eh, Giriko?"

The man with slicked, dark hair looked over his shoulder to the butler-like man behind him. The uncovered eye of Giriko stared at the television screen, which caused him to sigh and agree.

"...Well, we've taken quite a bit of their patrols... Of course they're investigating... That Hollow attack Orihime experienced probably saved us from being too careless."

The man grunted and turned back to the screen. On the chair next to him, a blonde-haired boy dressed in black continued to play on his new game system. He finally spoke and said, "I think we have enough Reiatsu from the Soul Reapers. The only thing left is to get to Soul Society..."

"Like hell."

The men turned towards the doors as Riruka and a dark-skinned woman shuffled in out of the rain. The woman continued, "There's no way we're going to be able to stop millions of Soul Reapers by ourselves... Better to simply expose _him _and let Soul Society get rid of him before we kill him."

"Jackie's right! You're an idiot for trying to get us killed, Yukio!"

The blonde, Yukio, frowned at Riruka as he replied, "Then he'll just run to his other army... Either way, we have to go through somebody to get to him... At least through Soul Society, we have an ally."

The dark haired man on the couch silenced everyone with, "Enough. Yukio is right... The only way to get to him would require fighting an army..."

Before the man could continued, Jackie walked over to the balcony and announced, "You have a visitor, Ginjo."

Kugo Ginjo rose from the sofa and walked over to the balcony door. He looked down and noticed Orihime standing under the rain with a bag over her shoulder. He stared at her for a few moments before saying, "Go get her bags and find her a room..."

* * *

Orihime shivered beneath the towel as she sipped from the coffee mug. Ginjo sat across from her and waited for her to speak. Eventually, she placed the cup on the table and crossed her arms under her breast, her eyes downcast to the floor.

"...What brings you here, Orihime...?"

Instead of answering, she sniffled for a few seconds and turned away. Ginjo continued to wait until she whispered, "...My father..."

The man leaned back in the cushions and sighed, "...Tch... I guess Uryu really hasn't changed much..."

Orihime listened as she heard him mumble, "...Not since _he_ died, anyways..."

"...He? Who's he?"

Ginjo blinked as he realized Orihime was still with him and shook his head, waving her off and saying, "No one of importance... Don't worry about it."

"...Are you talking about Ichigo?"

The man visibly froze, and Orihime knew immediately without him having to speak.

"...How does my father know Ichigo?"

Again, he didn't answer, and he turned away until she finally screamed, "What do you know about Ichigo!? What connection does he have with my father!? Or to any of you!?"

Much to her annoyance, Ginjo slightly chuckled and asked, "Was that the real reason you came here...? I was wondering why you didn't go to the home of one of your friends..."

"...Yes... You were angry when I told you he was back... But ever since I saved him, you and my family's been acting strange... Now that I know that you all knew him, I want to know what part he has to play..."

Ginjo reached for his cup and chuckled darkly as he reminisced.

"...Fine... I'll tell you about my buddy, Ichigo Kurosaki... The Fullbringer that died close thirty years ago..."

Orihime's eyes widened, but she stayed silent and listened to Ginjo.

* * *

_"Ahh! Hey you!"_

_ An orange-haired boy and his friends watched as a hooded thief ran past them, followed by a man dressed in a black jacket and pants who screamed, "Give me back that bag!"_

_ "...Mizuiro..."_

_ Of the three males, the one with short, dark hair turned to the orange-haired one as he said, "...Hold on to this...!" and tossed him his bag._

_ The thief continued to run, unaware of the incoming threat. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around directly into the incoming fist. As he fell to the ground, he reach into his jacket for a knife and jabbed it towards the kid, who simply grabbed his fist and narrowed his eyes down at him, holding his other fist up._

_ "...This is going to hurt, okay?"_

_ Shocked and frightened at the teenager that caught his strike so easily, he unknowingly nodded slightly as he took the second hit, completely blacking out before he could touch the ground._

_ The boy picked up the bag and held it out as the man ran up to him and exclaimed, "Woah! Kid, you're pretty good! I owe ya one for that!"_

_ The boy shook his head, though the man ignored him and continued, "You're probably hungry after that! How about I go buy you some ramen!? You wan-"_

_ "I'm fine."_

_ The man blinked as the boy retrieved his bag from his friend and walked away, calling out over his shoulder, "It'll be a pain in the ass if I get yelled at later on... Don't tell anyone that I hit somebody..."_

_ "...Oh... Okay... That's too bad, then..."_

_ As the boy and his friends left the area, his expression darkened as he mumbled to himself, "...You're pretty wary, Ichigo Kurosaki... I saw how you caught up to him, even if your friends didn't..."_

* * *

_ "A customer!?"_

_ Ichigo had finally gotten loose from his female employer as she ran to answer the door._

_ "Welcome! Come in!"_

_ The man stepped inside, with the light behind him casting an ominous shadow as he stood at the entrance. He held an object covered by cloth._

_ "He-Hey! You're that guy from earlier!"_

_ He continued to stare down the teenager as he slowly unveiled the cloth on his hand, revealing a steaming bowl. He grinned and held up the bowl, asking, "Want some ramen?"_

_ "...No thanks... This is an eel shop."_

_ Behind him, the woman growled and pitched a fit as she ordered, "Say Unigiya, damnit!"_

_ The man ignored them both as he sat down at the nearby table and set his ramen on top. He reached into his pocket for chopsticks and broke them apart to prepare to eat. He closed his eyes and prayed, "Okay, then... Let us eat."_

_ "Oi," Ichigo called out, but the man ignored him as he continued to eat. Ichigo repeated, "Hey, I'm talking to you."_

_ When the man continued to eat, Ichigo jumped up and slammed his hands on the table as he yelled, "Damnit, why are you eating ramen here!?"_

_ "'Cuz you won't eat it... If I don't eat it, the noodles'll get all stretched out."_

_ Ichigo growled, "Then eat at your own house! This isn't your break room, 'cause it's mine!"_

_ The woman deadpanned,"...So you think this is your break room, huh?" causing Ichigo to peek back at her to see how angry she was. However, she agreed, "Ichigo's right... What's your deal? Are you a customer?"_

_ "Yes. So...," the man drawled out as Ichigo and the woman leaned closer to him as they waited for him to speak. He finished with, "...Can I have some tea?"_

_ "...What about Suntory bread?"_

_ The man nodded, and Ichigo looked over at his boss and asked, "You're gonna give him some, Mrs. Ikumi?"_

_ As the woman handed the man the bottle, he began to down it as Ichigo asked, "So what do you want from me?"_

_ "...I don't want anything from you. I just so happened to find a shop that filled my specific needs of performing troublesome tasks, and I saw that sign... It's a coincidence that I found you here."_

_ The man stood up from his spot, and Ichigo deadpanned, "So that ramen wasn't a coincidence, huh?"_

_ "...Nope. I like ramen."_

_ The two locked eyes as Ichigo commented, "If that's the case... I should be walking around with chocolate, then."_

_ "...You should. That would be cute."_

_ Ichigo narrowed his eyes and growled out, "Don't change the subject."_

_ The man sighed as he waved Ichigo off with, "Man... If we keep going back and forward like this, we'll never get anything done... Miss, do you run things around here?"_

_ Mrs. Ikumi blinked as she realized she was being addressed and said, "Ye-Yeah!"_

_ "...Mind if I tell you my request?"_

_ A bad feeling rose in Ichigo's gut as the man grinned darkly. He reached into his pocket and placed a picture on the table, waiting for Ichigo's reaction._

_ "...That's..."_

_ Ichigo growled and grabbed the man by his collar, much to Ikumi's shock as she attempted to move him away._

_ "What the hell are you doing with a picture of my mother!?"_

_ The man simply stared down at Ichigo and asked, "How much do you know about her, really? __Or what she has to do with your father...? Do you even know what you are?"_

_ "...What I am... What the hell do y-"_

_ A large shout echoed through the room, "Enough!", and the two turned back to Ikumi as she picked up the picture of Masaki Kurosaki._

_ "...I don't appreciate customers infuriating my workers... I'm sorry, but the shop is closing up soon."_

_ The man smirked as he moved away from Ichigo's grasp. As he turned to walk out of the building, he tossed a black card towards Ichigo, who barely managed to catch it._

_ "...I know what you are... I know about your mother...and your father... You can stay here, or you can come find me in Naruki city if you want."_

_ Ichigo watched the man closed the door behind him as he left, and looked down at the card._

_ "...Welcome... to our 'Xcution'?"_


	5. Kill the Moonlight 2

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

_"Big brother! Welcome home!"_

_Ichigo eyes widened as his younger sister, Yuzu Kurosaki, jumped in his face with a piece of paper._

_"Look at my grade! I got a ninety-five on my first test since school started! Awesome, huh!?"_

_Ichigo grinned and patted her on the head as he cheered, "That's great, Yuzu! You should probably go tell Dad... Which reminds me...do you know where he is?"_

_Yuzu stared at her brother in confusion and worry as she answered, "No... He's been gone since morning."_

_She visibly noted his drooping expression as he commented, "Oh... Nevermind, then.. If you need me, I'll be in my room."_

_"...Brother?"_

_He stopped before he left the room and looked over his shoulder and asked, "Yuzu? What's up?"_

_"...It's nothing... Don't worry about it..."_

* * *

_"Where the heck is he...?"_

_He was cut from his angry pacing as a loud shout came in through his window. _

_"HEY! IIICCCCHHHHIIIGGGGOOOO! CAN YOU HEAR ME!?"_

_Turning to look out of his window, Ichigo spotted a girl outside of his window with a tray of bread. Upon seeing him, she called out, "Need some breaaad!? I'll make it cheap for youuuuu!"_

_"...Orihime?"_

* * *

"...My mother?"

Ginjo frowned and stated, "The one and only... You've probably heard this before, but you look very similar to her... Except your eyes... You have the Quincy's cobalt-blue eyes... Anyway..."

* * *

_"I can't eat all this!"_

_Orihime Inoue rested on the floor of Ichigo's bedroom as she nervously fidgeted around._

_"...Really?"_

_Ichigo frowned as he closed the door with his foot. He set down the tray of drinks and commented, "There's only four of us here, Orihime. I'll take what you can give me, though..."_

_He blinked as he noticed her constantly squirming around in her spot._

_"Why are you fidgeting so much?"_

_She flinched and turned away, rubbing her head as she replied, "...Well... I didn't think you'd actually let me in your room...alone."_

_Lucky for her, he didn't actually hear the last part as he scowled and said, "You've been in my room before... Stop acting so nervous! And make sure that you take your portion back with you..."_

_"Ichigo..."_

_Upon hearing her whisper, Ichigo looked up at her as he noticed her sorrowed expression, waiting for her to continue._

_"...Did something happen to you recently...?"_

_Ichigo sipped from his cup and replied, "Not really... You know something I don't?"_

_In repsonse, she blushed and turned away, retorting, "N-No! I was just...wondering if...you were being stalked...or...you know, something else weird..."_

_"Me? You have more fans than I do... They'd go after you before me."_

_Orihime felt really ridiculous as Ichigo stared pointedly at her, and she apologized, "I'm... I'm sorry I got all worried over nothing..."_

_"...You shouldn't apologize... That's what makes you a good person after all, Orihime."_

_At Ichigo's compliment, she blushed again, squirming under the intense heat on her cheeks. Ichigo raised an eyebrow as he stared at her and asked, "What...? I told you not to worry about me... I'm fine."_

_"I know... I just... I'm sorry for bothering you..."_

_Ichigo sighed and moved to stand until he felt a small presence from outside of his window. He frowned and called to Orihime, "I think you should go, Orihime... I'll walk you to your home."_

_Her eyes widened as she poked her fingers together in embarrassment and asked, "To-To my...place?"_

_"Better yet, you should stay here."_

_Ichigo didn't hear her crash against the floor as she blacked out from all of the blood rushing to her head. He reached over for his charm as he hopped out of his bedroom window and searched for the presence._

_"Where are you...? I know you're here..."_

_He immediately felt the winds as the person landed behind him. He sat still as the stranger's voice whispered, "You must be Ichigo Kurosaki... I've been wondering when you would come back outside and play..."_

_Instead of answering, Ichigo gripped his charm tighter. He swiftly turned around with a kick aimed towards the stranger's face. The other man blocked it with his book as he retreated away. After skidding further away, the man placed his book into his back pocket, leaving only his bookmark as he smirk at Ichigo. He rolled his shoulders, lifting up his black suspenders as he did so._

_"...That book mustn't be too important if you don't care about losing your place."_

_The man simply held the bookmark out, watching as it glowed before a blade appeared from its side. The man held up the large katana and pointed it at Ichigo before he announced, "Book of the End."_

_Ichigo's eyes widened as he realized what the man was._

_"...A Fullbring? Alright then... Two can play this game!"_

_He held his charm out and called out, "Kill the Moonlight!"_

* * *

_In Ichigo's bedroom, Orihime had finally woken up. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she wiped away the blood from under her nose as she looked around the room._

_"...Did... Did I actually stay here for the night? Did I sleep with Ichigo?"_

_Her eyes widened in nervousness and excitement as she thought about the possibilities. She stopped as she realized she was alone, and looked over to the open window._

_"...Ichigo...?"_

_'I haven't felt a pressure like this since he saved me from Sora... Is Ichigo using that Fullbring again?'_

_She rushed to the window to see, though immediately fell back with a cry as a thousand small, black arrows rushed through his window, pelting towards something above the rooftops. She peeked out and cried, "Ichigo!? What's happening!?"_

_"Get back in the room, Orihime! Don't come out until I tell you to!"_

_Worriedly, she nodded and fell behind the wall as Ichigo leaped from the window sill to the roof. In his hand was a black, four-pronged object, shaped like a jagged shuriken. Landing on the roof of his home, he held the object up and began firing dark projectiles towards the man as he weaved through the wires._

_"Be still!"_

_Suddenly the man disappeared from his spot, and Ichigo's eyes widened as he appeared in front of him with his blade poised to strike._

_"...It's over."_

_Ichigo too believed it was over until an orange barrier appeared between the two. He looked behind him as Orihime stood there, hands out as she glared at the assaulter._

_"...I won't let you harm Ichigo."_

_As Ichigo turned to chastise Orihime for not listening to him, they both turned as they heard clapping, and looked over to see a man dressed in dark clothing._

_"...I said it, didn't I? Kid, you're good."_

_Ichigo frowned and pointed at him, screaming, "You! The man from earlier! Why the hell are you stalking me!?"_

_"...I was just confirming my suspicions... You're just like Tsukishima here...and you're just like me... A Fullbringer... Though, it seems you didn't reveal all of your abilities like I wanted to... Nonetheless, I applaud you for going toe-to-toe with my friend here."_

_He stared at the two as he repeated, "...Fullbringers? You both are...?"_

_"...I saw the Bringer Light when you caught the thief... Pretty impressive... It seems you've already mastered Fullbring... For how long have you used it?"_

_Ichigo frowned and replied, "Since the night my mother died..."_

_Before the man could question him further, Orihime moved closer to Ichigo as she narrowed her eyes at the two._

_"...Why are you both interested in Ichigo...? So what if you all have the same powers?"_

_This time, Tsukishima moved forward and stated, "Xcution... Our group of those who share Fullbring... We extend an invitation to you, Ichigo Kurosaki... You should come by to Naruki City whenever you get the chance... We should fight again with our full powers next time..."_

_Tsukishima then disappeared in a green flash, and the man walked up to Ichigo. He chuckled as Orihime moved between him and Ichigo, and stated, "Remember the name, Kurosaki... It's Kugo Ginjo."_

_He too disappeared with the green light, leaving Ichigo and Orihime alone on the rooftop._

_"...Ichigo? Are you alright?"_

_Orihime reached out to grab his arm, though he simply shrugged her away and stormed off._

_"I didn't need your help, Orihime... I'm fine."_

_Ichigo jumped from his rooftop to the ground, leaving behind a tearful Orihime._

* * *

_"...Well, I see you showed up, Kurosaki..."_

_Ichigo scowled and provided Ginjo with a rude gesture as he walked into the open room of the Xcution building. The first thing he ran into was a bright, shining light in his face._

_"Oi! What the hell!?"_

_As the light dimmed down, he finally saw the wielder of the flashlight: a magenta-haired girl dressed in a black dress. The area over her breasts was white, and she had a white cap on her head._

_"...He's... He's so...hot..."_

_Both Ichigo and Ginjo deadpanned as they stared at her, and she corrected herself, "I mean... He's alright... Doesn't look like he's worth much..."_

_Blinking, he glared at her until another voice stated, "...Well, I see you showed up, Kurosaki..."_

_Frowning, Ichigo turned over to Tsukishima as he walked in and growled, "Me and Ginjo just went over this!"_

_"...Looks like you guys convinced Kurosaki to join us."_

_Ichigo threw his hands up in air as he collapsed onto the sofa of the room. The dark-skinned woman walked past him to the refrigerator, completely ignoring him. Behind her, a male dressed in a black high-school uniform with a Mohawk pointed at Ichigo and exclaimed, "Hey, is that Kurosaki!? I guess you guys got him to-_

_"Shut the hell up! I'm here, damnit! I just wanted to see for myself if there were Fullbringers here!"_

_Ginjo smirked and drawled, "Of course you did... That's definitely the only reason you came here."_

_"Shut up!"_

_Ichigo crossed his arms and turned his head away, ignoring the girl's comments of "I love his pouty face! It's so cute!"_

_Eventually, Ginjo sat down in front of him, calling out to the one-eyed, older man behind him for a vodka._

_"So what is it that you all do around here?"_

_After the man poured Ginjo's drink, the Fullbringer took a sip of it and set his cup down before answering, "Help other Fullbringers reach their potential... We search through nearby cities to find those who possess Fullbring, and let them come here... We've been watching for quite some time now... I saw the way you handle a group of Hollows years ago... Do you do that often?"_

_Ichigo frowned and turned away, "I have to... Uryu told me that the Soul Reapers are supposed to handle it, but I rarely see them... I've only saw few of them, and one was absolutely pathetic..."_

_"...Heh, are you talkin' about Afro-dude?"_

_Ichigo scowled deeper and answered, "Yes. Another one was my father...and it pisses me off that he couldn't do that when my mother died... All Soul Reapers piss me off... So I figured... 'If they won't, then I will... If fate was cruel enough to take my mother away and give me the power to protect others at the same time, then that's what I'll do'... To hell with the Soul Reapers that disagree."_

_"...I understand that...hatred for Soul Reapers... You and I seem to agree on something... The people that claims to protect souls... Why do you think we're all together like this?"_

_In response, Ichigo looked around at each individual person as they all stared back. Ginjo continued, "We've all lost someone to Hollows...and we've all watched the Soul Reapers fail... This world is protected by idiots, Kurosaki... You're not wrong about that... It's we who've been too lenient to them, because we couldn't understand... That's why it's time...that we changed all that... This time, we're gonna be the ones at the top of the food chain..."_

* * *

"From that point on, Kurosaki became a member of Xcution... and one of my good friends... Both with the shared hatred of Soul Reapers."

Orihime frowned and placed her tea back on the table and softly spoke, "...So the reason you were angry...was because Ichigo had become the very thing he fought against?"

Ginjo didn't answer as he closed his eyes and leaned back into the cushions of the sofa.

"...So what did my mother have to say about that? My father?"

Opening one eye, he answered, "Your father, Uryu, simply helped from time-to-time, but never official... Your mother, however, vehemently disagreed. She did everything in her power to stop Kurosaki, but all he ever did was lie to her and come right back... She loved him too much, and didn't want him to seep himself in revenge..."

"...Did she ever stop?"

Ginjo raised an eyebrow and said, "Chasing him? At some point... Even though he knew she disagreed, considering she always made a point in saying how big of a mistake he was making, she realized he was dead set on vengeance... And back then, her heart told her to follow Kurosaki wherever he went, regardless of the circumstances."

"...I knew she would have given up trying to stop him... From what I've seen when I met him, he's quite stubborn..."

The other man sighed and nodded, and Orihime finished, "...But that wasn't what I meant..."

He looked at her in confusion and asked, "...What?"

"...Did she ever... stop loving him a some point?"

Ginjo stared at her before looking down at his feet and answering, "I really don't think I should speak for the dead... But in my opinion... No... She never stop loving him ever... Even long after he died... I suspect that's why Uryu isn't happy most of the time...knowing that he was picked second of Kurosaki."

Orihime nodded and held her cup steady as she asked, "...How did... How did Ichigo die?"

She nearly sweated as his visage darkened, and he grounded out, "...Soul Reapers."

* * *

"Captain Aizen!"

The man in questioned turned as a member of the Stealth Force appeared in the room. He waited a while before asking, "What is it?"

"The Head-Captain requests the presence of all Captains immediately! There's been a situation in the Rukon District that needs to be addressed!"

Aizen nodded and disappeared at the same time as the man.

_'I guess it's starting soon...'_

* * *

The Captains filed into the hall as Yamamoto appeared. Stumbling his way to his seat, he leaned back in it and looked down at his fellow warriors, who stared back at him in confusion. The only Captain that appeared worried was Retsu Unohana.

"...Three days ago... a section in the Rukongai was inflicted with a case of Hollowfication..."

Once this was said, many of the Captain's eyes had widened, and the few that had been around for over a hundred years knew. Yamamoto's booming voice interrupted their thoughts.

"...The Fourth Division had been sent for medical attention... However, instead of healing, there was more destruction... When the team from the Twelfth Division finally arrived," he said, pointedly looking over to Mayuri, who shrugged as he continued, "The medical relief team had been all but wiped out... along with the Hollowfied residents..."

Captain Unohana closed her eyes and sighed, and Captain Aizen asked, "What are we going to do? Are we sending a team in?"

Yamamoto nodded and ordered, "I'm sending a team of Captains and any other seated Soul Reapers. Captain Aizen... Captain Kuchiki... and Captain Zaraki... All of you bring your top Soul Reapers and investigate!"

The three Captains nodded and flashed. Unohana turned to the Head Captain and requested, "Should I not be sent along? What if medical attention is required?"

The elderly man looked over to her, opening his eyes for a fraction of a second. He blinked and turned back to the entrance and simply replied, "No."

* * *

Ichigo and Momo had been filing away the Captain's papers when the Stealth Force member walked in... Well, Momo was working... Ichigo was passed out on the desk.

"Lieutenant Hinamori, Third Seat Kurosaki... Captain requires you for an important task. Meet him at the gate... Lieutenant Hinamori, wake him up."

Momo frowned and kicked Ichigo off of the desk, and he grumbled as he woke up swinging.

"Who attacked me!?"

Momo threw her hands up and said, "I give up on trying to teach this guy anything! We'll be there in a few...!"

The man nodded and left the room, leaving Ichigo and Hinamori alone.

"What happened? Somebody die?"

The girl ignored him and grabbed him by his bony collar, dragging him out of the room.

* * *

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo blinked as he stared into the stoic gaze of the Sixth Division Captain, Byakuya Kuchiki. The man continued to watch him unblinkingly as Ichigo stared back.

"...My sister speaks highly of you... I hope you don't disappoint."

The other Soul Reaper could do nothing but nod. He suddenly felt something overshadow him from behind and turned to the predatory gaze of the Eleventh Division Captain, Kenpachi Zaraki. The man grinned widely as he stared down at him and said, "Yo... Long time, no see, Ichigo."

"...Uhh... Captain Zaraki! It's...Uh...It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Ichigo continued to feel unnerved under the man's gaze, he could have sworn that the man's smiled widened even further. Zaraki tilted his head and said, "We haven't fought in a while... Care for a little spar before we go...?"

"Now, now, Zaraki.. Don't harm my subordinates, especially before such an important task..."

The man frowned and turned as Aizen entered the area. He grumbled, "Killjoy," and turned away. As Aizen stared around, he noticed a distinct lack of people.

"...Captain Zaraki? Captain Kuchiki? Where are your Lieutenants?"

Suddenly, a loud shout sounded from behind Zaraki, and a mass of bubblegum-pink popped out and waved.

"I'm herreeeee! Hehehe! Hey, Berry! Nerd!"

Both Ichigo and Aizen deadpanned, and Ichigo drawled, "My name doesn't mean strawberry, damnit."

Byakuya announced, "My Lieutenant isn't coming."

Aizen blinked, then shrugged in response before walking to the gate after the giant lifted it.

"...Let's go, then..."

* * *

"...I heard from Kukaku that the Soul Society's undergoing another investigation in the Rukon District... Another case of Hollowfication."

A man dressed in a black haori with a bucket hat paused from his computer terminal as he turned back to his dark-skinned, female companion. He sighed, "It looks like Aizen's starting his plans... There's not much we can do... The confrontation with Ichigo didn't go as planned.

"...Kisuke... Sicking a Hollow on him wouldn't jump-start his memories... I told you that from the start..."

Kisuke Urahara frowned as he stated, "...However, I equipped her with the scythe of the memory Hollow... He was only cut by me and hit by Tatsuki's self-destruct... I would have thought that his best friend would be the one to kick-start his memories..."

"Well, Urahara, that plan didn't work out."

Both the woman and Kisuke turned to the doorway as a blonde man entered, his mouth slanted downwards in a lazy manner.

"...Tatsuki couldn't save Ichigo's memories, and Orihime's daughter didn't either... Aizen has his grasp on Ichigo, and will probably get Ginjo at some point after he leaves... If they're lost causes, then we need to focus on stopping him after he leaves, rather than trying to save the kid."

The dark-skinned woman protested, "You want us to leave Ichigo behind!? He's the only reason Isshin's even cooperating with us! We need him!"

Kisuke placed his hands on his terminal and sighed, "Yoruichi's right, Shinji... We have to get Ichigo back at some point..."

* * *

"...We've received word from the Commander... They're heading this way."

A tanned, blonde woman dressed in white looked over to the dark-skinned female and nodded. She then turned her attention back to the pile of bodies in front of her and waited. Next to her, a teal-haired man groaned as he fell back and yelled, "This shit is taking too long! When are they gonna get here!?"

In response, a pale, dark-haired man simply said, "Be patient... Everything is just getting started."

* * *

Trivia:

-Ichigo's Fullbring is Kill the Moonlight, which, like the other Fullbrings, is an album/song title. In this case, it's an album by the band Spoon. It's abilities are separated into three parts. The first is being able to use the Swastika-like weapon as a Quincy bow. The second and third haven't been revealed, though they aren't the same as canon...yet.

The name 'Kill the Moonlight' was selected for two reasons:

-It hints towards his Quincy nature as reference to destroying his Soul Reaper side.

-It sounds like a command, which is the key to a Soul Reaper using a Zanpakuto, referencing his Soul Reaper half.

-Orihime(Original) refers to Ichigo saving her from Hollows, which is the part in Canon where he saves her and Tatsuki from Sora (with no Rukia involved). That Hollow attack is the essence of Orihime's(Fiction) Fullbring.

-Orihime's(Original) powers can only heal and create barriers. This is due to the fact that she is in close contact with Ichigo and Uryu most of the time, where she developed her own powers, but due to lack of Hogyoku (and the fact that Ichigo hadn't unlocked his Soul Reaper powers), she didn't receive the full rejection abilities.

-Orihime(Fiction) is Seventeen-years old. The events during the flashback happened when Orihime(Original) was Seventeen. Thirteen years after flashback is when Orihime(Fiction was born), which is around Orihime's(Original) death.

-Urahara, Yoruichi, and Shinji were the ones who attacked Ichigo when he was fighting the Hollow. Urahara wasn't trying to kill him, but simply prevent him from using Bankai and destroying the entire city.

-The Hollow was Tatsuki(Original). Her story is going to come up later.


	6. Entrusted Heart

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"We're almost near the Fugai district... The most recent attack started here."

Aizen began reminiscing as they entered the area, and a small smirk graced his face for a moment, though only Ichigo noticed.

_'How ironic...that they chose to attack here first... The nostalgia is overwhelming.'_

He continued walking on ahead, followed by Byakuya. Ichigo ran next to Momo and Aizen once he realized he was alone with Zaraki.

"...Don't get too scared, Ichigo... It's not like I'm going to kill you..."

Annoyed, Byakuya scowled at the ruthless man and scolded, "There is no point in fighting at such an impotant time, you barbarian. Wait until we make it back to the Seireitei."

Zaraki's grin widened as he suggested, "Maybe you want a piece of the action instead, Kuchiki!?"

"Both of you, enough. We don't have time for this."

At Aizen's insistence, the two Captain's trudged alongside him in silence as they entered through the forest. Eventually, the Captains stopped as Momo and Ichigo continued walking on. Ichigo looked over his shoulder at them before asking, "What's up? We still got a few more ways to g-"

Ichigo stopped as he felt it, and Momo stopped as well. Ichigo stared into the sky as the ominous Reiatsu filtered through the clearing, and Byakuya was quick to note, "This is the Reiatsu of a Hollow... And the distinct lack of souls..."

Momo began shivering as she murmured, "...They cleared the town out..."

Out of the group, Zaraki's face lit up as he commented, "This feeling's pretty strong... I wonder how strong they really are...!"

He was the first to rush through the forest after the Hollows, and Aizen quickly yelled, "Look out!"

Between Zaraki and the group, a large beam of sky-blue energy ravaged the forest clearing, separating the group as they moved out of the way. Ichigo cried out, "Shit! Captain Zaraki!? Are you-"

Byakuya grabbed Ichigo by his shoulder as he pulled him down as another beam, green this time, flew over his head, stating, "That imbecile's fine. Worry for yourself, idiot."

Tossing Ichigo away, Byakuya reached for his Zanpakuto and whispered, "_Scatter... Senbonzakura."_

The third, yellow beam was blocked by a barrage of tiny, pink objects. Byakuya turned back to Ichigo and ordered, "You will cover me as I go for the kill. Let us go."

Ichigo stammered, "Wha-What!? What are you talking abo-?"

Byakuya grabbed him and pulled him away, leaving Aizen and Momo alone. The bespectacled man narrowed his eyes for a fraction of a second before ordering Momo to follow after them.

* * *

"Come on out and fight me!"

Zaraki twisted on his heels as he searched for the Hollow's Reiatsu. Suddenly, he felt the incoming pressure of another Cero, and dashed away as it destroyed the area he was in.

"Alright, you sonuvabitch! You asked for it!"

The Kenpachi felt an ankle embed itself into his gut, slamming him through multiple trees as he skidded along the ground. Glancing up, he watched as a teal-haired man entered the clearing. He was dressed in a white hakama and open jacket, and he had a broken jaw fragment on his right jaw.

"...You look like...you know a thing or two..."

The other man grinned as he rushed forward with another kick, aiming to break his neck.

_'Suck on this!'_

However, he was cut short, as the Soul Reaper tilted his head, catching his foot between his shoulder and neck.

"...Tch, you're doin' it all wrong... That's not fun, going for the kill... You gotta make the fight last, ya know...?"

Before the Hollow knew what had transpired, he was thrown over Zaraki's shoulder as he shrugged him away, and the Kenpachi's Zanpakuto was drawn as he spun around, swinging his sword in a large arc. The teal-haired being quickly drew his own sword, blocking the blow as he rolled back into a crouch.

"Heh, you're not too bad yourself, trash... And here I was, thinking I was gonna be bored outta my mind... It's people like you that make life worth livin'!"

With that last shout, the man rushed Zaraki, who grinned feral-like and and swung his blade to meet him.

* * *

"Scatter... Senbonzakura!"

Byakuya locked eyes with the emerald orbs of the pale man he faced off against. He wore a white hakama and jacket set, with two coattails hanging from the end of the jacket. His dark hair was matted down by a large, skull-like helmet fragment on his skull.

"That won't work."

The man backflipped from a branch to dodge the tiny blade fragments. As soon as he landed on the ground, he found himself locked in place by six, piercing objects. He stared down at them blankly and looked up to face Byakuya, who was simply pointing his finger at him. He narrowed his eyes and asked, "...What is this?"

"Bakudo Number Sixty-Four. Rikujokoro."

The Hollow watched as Byakuya took slow, aching steps towards him, his finger still held up. When he stopped directly in front of him, he pointed his finger directly at his head and said, "Hado Number Four... Byakur-"

He was cut off as he spotted a thick, hollowed blade flying directly towards him, and moved to block. Before he could, a orange-and-black blur appeared in front of him, blocking the blade with his over-sized one.

"Sorry, but I can't let you do that."

Ichigo glared into the eyes of a tanned female with blonde hair. She wore a white hakama and jacket, though it stopped under her breasts and covered the bottom of her face.

_'...What's with me and fighting Hollowed women...? I hope this one isn't as tough as the other one.'_

Once she kicked him in the face, he knew fate wasn't taking his shit today. As the woman followed after him, the Hollow trapped between the Kido broke free from his imprisonment and held his finger towards Byakuya, mocking him as he whispered, "_Cero Oscuras._"

* * *

Ichigo rolled into another clearing as the woman attempted to decapitate him again. He jumped to the air to dodge her and held his blade with both of his hands as he descended rapidly towards the ground. Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she rolled away.

"Chiretsu Hogeki!"

As he slammed into the ground, a blue quake of energy exploded from around him, and she continued to move away to dodge the full attack. As she recovered, Ichigo cried out, "Flash, Zangetsu!" and followed with a Getsuga Tensho.

Holding her ground, she held her blade out as it charged with her yellow Reiatsu, she mumbled, "Ola Azul...," before barraging Ichigo with a multitude of energy strikes, easily dissipating the blue light. Ichigo flinched backwards before he was assaulted by the woman's attacks, ravaging the area in dust and smoke.

"...You're not dead... Come out."

As she waited for him to appear, she watched as the smoke was swirled away, and she witnessed him swinging his blade like a lasso, holding on to the chain at the end of his shikai. As the winds from his blade expanded further and further, he began to gather blue energy at the end of it, and smirked as the woman watched.

"Don't get too scared... This'll be a blast..."

She watched as the blade continued to circulate around him, and she waited for him to finish. He swung the blade in her direction and shouted, "Getsuga Tensho! Ranbu!"

The blade stopped only a few feet in front of him. However, the blue energy continued towards her in a propeller-like manner, spiraling rapidly in her direction with six blades. She jumped into the air as it destroyed the area below her, and she commented, "...That was too slow..."

"That was the point."

Her eyes widened as she heard him from behind her, and she turned the moment he screamed out, "Getsuga Tensho!"

She found herself face-to-face with the flash of blue light, and was sent towards the ground. Ichigo watched the explosion below him as he waited for the woman's appearance.

"...You're quite good... You fight at a skill that most Captains I've fought could not... But now I'm annoyed, you buzzing little fly."

Ichigo swiveled on his feet as she appeared behind him. Her right leg was visible under her tattered hakama, almost like a split dress. Most of her jacket was torn except for her right sleeve, and he could the _"3"_ tattooed on her chest above her skeletal breast plates. What was more frightening was the shark-like jaw on the bottom of her face, which grind together in an annoyed and predatory manner.

"...Holy shit...! No wonder you covered up the bottom of your face, Mileena...! I mean...uh...whatever your name is...!"

The woman stepped forward, and Ichigo took a step back as she continued after him. Before she could attack, a fireball destroyed the area between them, and the angry woman turned towards the source.

"Hi-Hinamori!? What are you doing here?"

The short Lieutenant smirked as she landed behind the Hollow, her Zanpakuto released as she pointed it at her.

"...Captain Aizen sent me ahead as he and Captain Kuchiki took care of that pale one. You look like you've done quite a number on her...," She jested as she noticed the tattoo on her breast, "...literally..."

The woman narrowed her eyes and gazed between the two Soul Reapers. As she decided on who to attack first, another voice spoke out, "You're done. There's nowhere left for you to run, Arrancar."

Everyone turned to the opening of the clearing, witnessing the arrival of Sosuke Aizen. The woman's eyes widened as she gazed upon the Captain, and he smirked slightly as he stepped closer to the group. The woman slowly fell collapsed to her knees on the ground.

"Captain Aizen! What do you want us to do with her?"

He sighed as he ordered, "Capture her... I had to kill the other one, and I'm sure Zaraki's done playing with his opponent... We need to question her to u-"

He was cut off as a blast of green light pierced through his chest, and he held a blank gaze in front of him as Momo cried out, "Captain Aizen!?"

Ichigo's eyes widened as the Captain hunched over, stumbling away from the pale man behind him. His outfit was slightly tinged from his battle with the Captains. Momo quickly rushed over and held her injured Captain, panicking as she glanced back between the Hollow woman and the new arrival.

"Where the hell is Captain Kuchiki!? I thought he and Captain Aizen took care of you!?"

The man's emotionless gaze unnerved Ichigo as he turned to him, and simply stated, "That noble? He's probably... _not okay_..."

Ichigo's eyes widened as a dark, sinking feeling weighed heavily in his chest. He turned back to Momo and Aizen before looking back to the Hollows. He blinked, allowing a tear to fall from his eye as he realized what he was going to have to do.

"...Momo... Please take Captain Aizen with you and find Captain Kuchiki... I'll have to take it from here."

The Lieutenant's angry glare turned on Ichigo as she shouted, "There's no way you'll be able to fight these two alone! I...I'll stay and-"

"Do what!? Protect the Captain!? That's not gonna work on these... these Hollows! They're all Captain-leveled! You'll only get in the way!"

Ichigo ignored the girl's trembling as she attempted to protest, "But Ichigo! T-"

"...You need to go back and tell the Head-Captain what's happened here... There's no way I'm gonna make it back with you...and I'm the last chance you have at making it out..."

Momo watched as Ichigo held his blade up, pointing it towards the pale man as he glared at him. He looked back over his shoulder to her, attempting to give her a reassuring smile as he apologized, "I'm sorry, Lieutenant Hinamori... But this'll be the last time I get us both in trouble... However, at least I'm gonna take responsibility this time..."

"You really believe you succeed where that Captain has failed? You are way out of your league, boy. The difference between us is far too great for you to comprehend."

Ichigo turned back to the Hollow and growled out, "The difference...? You mean in strength? What about it? Do you think I should give up...just because you're stronger than me? I know you're stronger than me... That still won't change my mind. You nor that woman will ever get past me."

He held his arm as he pointed Zangetsu towards the sky, and his eyes widened and glowed a deep blue as his Reiatsu was released.

Momo, who dragged the groaning Aizen along the ground, watched as he brought down his blade with a heavy slam, creating heavy fissures in the ground as he shouted, "_Getsuga Tensho!_"

"Don't let him hit you with that, Ulquiorra!"

The woman's scream wasn't able to reach the Hollow's ears as the flash of light nearly erased any senses he could feel from his body.

"...This light...!? So fast!"

Ichigo watched as the blast completely engulfed the man named "Ulquiorra". He waited a moment, hoping that he was able to kill him in one blow.

_'Did I get him?'_

"That's really interesting... I've never had to use both of my hands before... Not even for that 'Kuchiki'... Do you have another attack up your sleeve? Are you finished already?"

Ichigo's eyes widened as the smoke and debris was blasted away, and a pair of wings unfolded from Ulquiorra's form. The jacket and robe of the Hollow had combined, becoming a tight-fitting robe. His helmet completely wrapped around his head, with two horns pointing from the top.

"...What...the hell just happened?"

Ulquiorra blinked as he stared down at Ichigo, completely unperturbed as he smoothly stated, "This is... my Resurreccion... _Murcielago_..."

Ichigo tried his best not to let the confusion show on his face, though Ulquiorra easily saw through him.

"...You do not understand the power of the Arrancars... It's only natural... Now it's my turn."

The world seemed to slow down to Ichigo as the man slowly raised his arm, snapping his fingers as a green, lance-like object appeared in his hands.

"...This is the light of the moon, Ichigo Kurosaki... _Luz de la Luna._ You will not be able to defeat my technique."

Ichigo was still frozen as the the lance was thrown at him, and didn't recognize his near-death experience until he saw a white sleeve in his face.

"...Why are you frightened...Kurosaki? I thought I...taught you to stand up for yourself..."

Sosuke Aizen hovered over him, blood slipping from between his lips as he smirked at Ichigo. The green spear was embedded in his right chest, spilling gallons of the man's life force onto the ground.

"...Cap-Captain...Aizen...? Wh-Why would you...?"

The brown-haired man grunted as he glasses fell from his face, cracking when he accidentally stepped on them as he collapsed onto Ichigo. The younger Soul Reaper couldn't hear the screaming of the girl behind him as Aizen whispered, "...I heard that speech...you decided to give earlier... I have to admit...it was slightly touching... But it made me feel bad... I dragged you into this...because my weakness has caused you and Momo pain... You must be torn apart inside, Ichigo... I'm sorry..."

He coughed over his shoulder, and Ichigo crouched to accommodate the weight of the wounded Captain. He felt Momo crawl up behind him as she grabbed onto Aizen.

"...As your Captain... I shouldn't let you sacrifice yourself...to save me... I know you try to protect others, Ichigo...but I'm responsible for the well-being...of all my subordinates... I'm not going to let you die on my watch..."

Aizen's breathing began to slow down, and he struggled to continue speaking, "...Live well...age well...and die long after I do...and if you can, die smiling... Don't hesitate to act... Sadness is a cool thing to shoulder...but you're still too young... And whatever you do...try not to die alone...so you can entrust your heart to another."

Ichigo felt the man slip off his shoulder, and attempted to blink away tears as the Captain finished up, "...So as your Captain... I'm entrusting it to you..."

The area was entirely silent, with the only sound being made was the constant sniffling of Lieutenant Hinamori as she held onto Captain Aizen, which finally exploded into all-out crying. Ichigo slowly stood to his feet, his hair overshadowing his eyes.

"...I'm sorry, Lieutenant Hinamori... I'm sorry I failed..."

His Shihakusho began rippling as his blade began glowing black. The torn upper clothing fluttered away as he felt it rip from his body. He pointed his blade towards Ulquiorra and the other woman, and Momo looked up to him as her own clothing began rippling with the winds.

_'So it's true... He's achieved it...a level beyond the rest of us..."_

_... If fate is a millstone, then we are the grist. There is nothing we can do. So I wish for strength. If I cannot protect them from the wheel, then give me a strong blade, and enough strength... to shatter fate..._

"_...Ban...kai..._"

* * *

Trivia:

-The Fugai District is where the Visored were Hollowfied in TBtP arc.

-Getsuga Tensho: Ranbu translates to "Moon Fang Heaven Blast: Wild Dance." It combines his flail swinging of Zangetsu and his first Fullbringer attack.

-Halibel's tattered outfit is the same as Ichigo's Full Hollow Release.


	7. Avenge My Savior

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"...This boy... has achieved Bankai? This wasn't part of the plan at all.."

Ulquiorra couldn't help but agree as the winds exploded away from the boy's form. He and his partner held their arms up as they blocked the rocks and debris blowing into their faces. Finally, the woman peeked from between her arms as she noticed Ichigo standing in the eye of the storm.

His Shihakusho had expanded into a long, tattered robe, separating itself into three coattails. The robe was open, connecting itself by "_X_" shaped bands and revealing his white undershirt. He wore black-and-white gloves with the same "_X_" shapes on them.

His blade had also changed, becoming thinner and longer than usual, with three prongs behind its curved tip, and a jagged, four-pronged guard. He stared blankly at the Arrancars as he whispered, "_...Tensa Zangetsu..._"

The woman frowned as she saw his Bankai, as she'd never seen one as small as his... But considering how he caught her off-guard earlier, she knew to take him seriously.

"...Ulquiorra...go retrieve Grimmjow... Our time is done here."

Ichigo scowled and dashed off towards them with a roar, "I'm not gonna let you escape! Issen Getsuga!"

Ulquiorra frowned and prepared to block the quick slash of light, but he was quickly defended by the tanned woman, who caught it within her grasp.

"..I told you leave, Ulquiorra... This boy is mine."

The Arrancar nodded and disappeared in a flash, leaving her and Ichigo to face-off.

"You should move... I'm not after fodder."

Ichigo frowned, as he could see the hungry gaze in the woman's eyes. She spoke, "You didn't see Ulquiorra's number, did you...? If you would have saw, you would have known that I rank higher than he does... This _'3' _on my chest symbolizes that of my team, I am the third strongest."

"...So if I defeat you, then the others above you should be no sweat, huh? Interesting... Let's get to it, then."

The woman saw his attack from a mile away and caught him before his blade swiped at her head.

"...You are truly no match for me... There's no point in wasting time on you when the deed is done. Goodbye."

She tossed him over her shoulder into a tree before walking away. She was only able to move a few steps before she felt him dash towards her.

"Kokoryu Gatotsu!"

Ichigo dashed back into the clearing, with both his arm and the blade covered in dark Reiatsu as he soared towards her. He closed in on her, pumping more energy into the blade before he struck. However, she quickly turned and grabbed his blade, holding his energy and his arm steady as she glared down at him.

He felt the woman's Reiatsu pulse through his sword, and then his own body. Before he knew it, the blade reverted back to his Shikai, and his Shihakusho went back to normal.

"What the...? What the hell did you just do!?"

The woman held her gaze for a moment before flipping him over her shoulder, throwing him into the ground. Before he could recover, she came down upon his windpipe with her knee, crushing it easily under the pressure.

"...You've been practicing with your Bankai... but you haven't mastered it. If you had, you would have known that a high enough level of Reiatsu can disrupt the rhythm of Bankai... Just because your Bankai is condensed does not exclude you from that rule... Your Bankai's overwhelming strength comes full force when you released your techniques... All I have to do is release an equal amount, and I can cancel your Bankai."

Ichigo attempted to breathe in, but struggled as her kneecap pushed deeper into his throat.

"...I'm not going to kill you here... I'll allow you to become stronger, as my master wishes... After that point, I will destroy you with my own hands."

She let up from him, and he breathed out in slight relief, as he still choked on the blood clogging his throat. Before she left, she turned over her shoulder and called out, "Remember my name, Ichigo Kurosaki... It's Tier Halibel, the Tercera Espada."

Ichigo watched as her form sauntered out of the clearing before his eyes rolled to the back of his head, with the image of crushing defeat being the last thing pictured in his mind.

* * *

_"...Someone, hold him still! He keeps moving incessantly!"_

_ "I'm stabilizing the wound right now! His breathing has returned to normal, Captain Unohana!"_

_ "Good. That means we're done for now."_

When he woke from his deep slumber, the only thing he could hear was a group of voices rattling his ears. From the sound of it, he figured he was in the Fourth Division Medical Barracks. He confirmed that though when he opened his eyes, staring deep into the pupils of the motherly Fourth Division Captain, Retsu Unohana.

"...I see you're awake... I wouldn't try to speak if I were you, though... Whoever you fought completely devastated your windpipe... It'll be a while before you can speak normally again, so just sit tight for the next day or two."

A small smirk graced her features as she finally understood how stubborn he really was. His mouth flapped open to wave her off, but the searing pain in his through kept his mouth shut. She then released a small bit of Reiatsu to pressure him back into the cot before he could try and walk away. She smiled her dark, killer-worthy smile before turning to walk away.

"You should probably try listening to your elders next time. It'll definitely save you a lot of trouble in the long run."

The only thing Ichigo could do was nod and lay his head back onto the soft cushions as the Captain left the room.

He spent the next few moments staring up at the ceiling for an undefined amount before a taunting voice commented from the window, "My, my... Look at you, all down and depressed... Like a little puppy who's lost his toy."

Ichigo blinked and turned his head in the general direction of the voice, and was surprised to see the Captain of the Third Division, Gin Ichimaru, settled upon the window sill of the room. He was tempted to open his mouth to speak, but opted to stay quiet and save him the pain as the Captain circled around his bed like a vulture. He still wondered how a man like him could smile at a time like this, but simply answered that with, _'He's just weird like that.'_

"...It's pretty shocking, isn't it? To see Captain Aizen go down so easily...? I've known that man for a century now, and I never believed he would die like that... I guess life is funny like that, ya know?"

Ichigo deadpanned as the man simply grinned. He didn't think any of it was funny.

"...Anyways, you're Captain Aizen's legacy... His 'prized pupil', he used to say... At the level you're at now, you're not gonna be able to handle the events coming your way... If you want to avenge Captain Aizen...you better up your game, Skippy."

The man grinned one last time before walking out of the door, leaving Ichigo alone to reflect on his thoughts.

* * *

"...How...is the...others?"

Little by little, day-by-day, Ichigo began speaking again, asking the questioned he intended to ask days ago. Unohana paused from her task and turned towards him as she heard him speak.

"...You mean the others on the mission?"

Ichigo nodded, and Unohana sighed and answered, "The only casualty was Aizen... However, Captain Kuchiki is in critical condition, and is in no form or shape to move or act as Captain for now... Captain Zaraki and Lieutenant Kusajishi was relatively unharmed..."

"...What about... Lieutenant Hinamori...?"

Unohana glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and sighed, "...You might not want to speak to her for a while... She's...not well..."

"...How so?"

She turned away as he sat up worriedly in the bed, repeating the question again. Unohana refused to answer for a few moments before finally saying, "...Her mind's been badly damaged... The death of Captain Aizen left a heavy toll on her brain, and it seems she's snapped... We believe she might even blame you at some point..."

Ichigo stared at her, waiting for the Captain to reveal she was joking until she stared at him seriously for a long time. He groaned and fell back onto the bed as the woman apologized, "...I'm sorry... There's not much I can do about her..."

"Captain Unohana, Third Seat Kurosaki... The Head-Captain requires both of you."

The two turned towards the door as the member of the Onmitsukido bowed to them and left the room. Unohana gazed towards the entrance, a knowing look on her face as she gestured to Ichigo to follow.

* * *

"...Ichigo Kurosaki..."

Ichigo sat in the large hall nervously as the three Captains, Yamamoto, Sui Feng, and Unohana held him under their gaze.

"...Captain Aizen's death was a great blow to the defense of the Gotei Thirteen...and Captain Kuchiki's has been bedridden for the past days... We have no knowledge of when he will awake... Sadly, Lieutenant Hinamori is out of commission as well."

Hearing that all over again didn't help Ichigo feel any better. However, he continued to stay silent as the elderly man continued, "The Gotei's defenses must be repaired... And Captain Aizen must be replaced."

Once the man said that, Ichigo knew immediately was going on, and shook his head as he replied, "No! That's a definite no!"

Both Sui Feng and Unohana was appalled at the way he screamed at Yamamoto, and the elderly man narrowed his eyes as he asked, "What did you say to me?"

Ichigo bowed his head, balling up his fists as he screamed, "...I just.. I'm not cut out for that! I don't want to be Aizen's or Hinamori's replacement! I'm sorry, Head-Captain, but there's no way I can accept the position as Fifth Division Captain!"

After Ichigo's outburst, the Captain's stared at him as heaved away the pressure of failure from his body. Nearly dying to the Hollow in Karakura town... Ulquiorra and Halibel's simple disposal of him... Watching his Captain die in front of him, and seeing the distressed feeling on Momo's face caused him too much pain to try and take up any responsibility.

Ichigo sat and waited for the scolding and punishment for yelling at the Captain Commander... Which reminded him... What the hell was he thinking!?

_'I guess this is what Momo meant when she said I'm always getting into trouble.'_

However, the Captains simply blinked at him, complete silence embracing the entire hall. Ichigo continued to bow his head, as he was too afraid of seeing their disappointed faces. However, he heard the shuffling of papers, causing him to peek out from beneath his hair. Yamamoto held up a piece of paper, though the text was too small for him too see properly.

"...Do you know what this is?"

Ichigo really wanted to walk up to it and see, but felt like he would be in trouble for breaking position. So he simply opted for shaking his head.

"...This...is a personal recommendation for you...from Captain Aizen before the mission."

The younger Soul Reaper's eyes widened as he looked up to the Head-Captain, who let go of the paper and allowing them to fall to the floor. He held his hands out to Unohana, who placed more of the letters into his hand. One by one, he dropped them as he called out the names.

"Byakuya Kuchiki's... Sui Feng's...," When he heard her name, Ichigo turned towards her, though her expression never changed. Yamamoto continued, "Gin Ichimaru... Kaname Tosen..."

_'Him? Didn't he chastised me for my actions after that meeting? And Captain Kuchiki's, too? I thought he was unconscious! Did this... Did this happen before the mission!?'_

"...and Mayuri Kurotsuchi..."

The image of the grinning, jester-faced Captain of the Twelfth Division entered his brain, he wondered, _'What the hell...? That guy?'_

"These personal recommendations were turned in to me after your little...'trip' to the Human World... That's already six Captains who recommended, not including Zaraki's... well... actually, Lieutenant Kusajishi's..."

The last paper he tossed was covered in crayon and glitter markings, sprinkling sparkles and dust in front of Ichigo, who sweatdropped when he saw.

"...Seven Captains believed you worthy of a Captain's Seat. Captains Zaraki, Unohana, and Kyoraku agree. If your own Captain believed you worthy of the spot, then why don't you?"

After that, Ichigo fumbled over his own words as he struggled to come up with something.

"It's just... I can't... Why would so many Captains...? I don't...understand..."

_...Anyways, you're Captain Aizen's legacy... His 'prized pupil', he used to say..._

_ ...Power comes easily to those who believe in justice, but to disregard laws and practices is the opposite of such... You must learn to obey before you can lead, Kurosaki._

_ ...I'm just here to tell you that you did a good job... You did something that many other Soul Reapers would have left alone, so I have to commend you for a job well done... If there were open slots... I would have probably recommended you for a Captain's position after this little incident..._

_ '...And you sent in the recommendation so soon... Did you believe it was the end for yourself, Captain Aizen?'_

_ ...As your Captain... I shouldn't let you sacrifice yourself...to save me... I know you try to protect others, Ichigo...but I'm responsible for the well-being...of all my subordinates... I'm not going to let you die on my watch..._

"If you don't want the responsibility, then you may go."

_Don't hesitate to act... Sadness is a cool thing to shoulder...but you're still too young... And whatever you do...try not to die alone...so you can entrust your heart to another._

_ '...I don't want to let down Captain Aizen...'_

"Inform the Divisions to send in any Soul Reapers that possess Bankai... We must fill this vacancy in the Fifth Division leadership before the next attack."

_...So as your Captain... I'm entrusting it to you..._

"I'll do it..."

The Captains looked up to Ichigo as he mumbled, and the Head-Captain stared down at him and asked, "What did you say?"

"I said I'll do it! I'll take over the Fifth Division! I can't...let my Captain and Lieutenant down... I won't let this Division crumble apart..."

Sui Feng produced a small smirk on her face as she crossed her arms, while Unohana simply smiled in relief. The Head-Captain's expression didn't change much, but Ichigo's never seen the old man with a different facial expression anyway.

"...Then...enough talk. Prove to us that you are worthy of such a position by showing me your Bankai..."

Ichigo smirked and unsheathed Zangetsu, slamming it onto the wooden surface as he exclaimed, "If that's the case... Then don't let the light past you by! _Bankai_!"

* * *

Renji Abarai was completely stressed out. Ever since his Captain had went and gotten himself injured, he had to watch over the Division...which was causing him more trouble than ever.

"Man, that bastard better wake up, soon... This is annoying..."

He trudged along the familiar path to the First Division Barracks, as he had received the word to represent the Sixth Division at the Captain's Ceremony.

"...I wonder who they picked to replace Captain Aizen...? Upon saying that out loud, I never thought the day would come that I'd ever have to say that."

Unknowingly, he turned a corner and almost bumped into Lieutenant Hinamori, the one person he didn't wish to see. He had heard a bunch of rumors floating around, saying that she had become mentally unstable after the death of Captain Aizen. A part of him believed it, but he wished to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"Yo...Hinamori... I...uhh...I see you've woken up."

The other part of him suddenly wished he didn't ask, because she turned towards him with depressed, hollowed eyes. Dark bags riddled her expression, and a cold glare was etched onto her face. Her hair pooled around her face wildly, no longer held up by her clip. She did lighten up upon seeing Renji, and it made him feel better... Her initial expression made him think she was going to pull him into an alley and stab him to death for speaking to her.

"Oh...! Hey, Renji...! How have... How have you been, recently?"

Renji shrugged and answered, "Watching over the Squad while Captain Kuchiki's out... Tough work..."

Upon hearing that, he noticed her expression darken slightly, and the maniacal vision of Momo piercing his abdomen with her Shikai in psychopathic glee returned to his mind.

_'I guess I shouldn't mention the word 'Captain' when she's in the general vicinity.'_

"...So how...how have you been, lately? Shouldn't you still be in bed?"

She glanced at him, sorrow warping and twisting her visage before she stated hollowly, "I heard one of the nurses speak about a new Captain for the Fifth Squad... Considering that I didn't receive the report for it, I came to see for myself if Captain Aizen and myself had been replaced."

Renji stared down at her, just as sad as she was from gazing at her expression. He knew that she felt the most from her Captain than anyone in their group... It must have killed her to know that the Gotei Thirteen wouldn't grieve alongside her as they might have to prepare themselves for war.

"...Momo... I-"

She cut him off before he could speak, "I know... There's no time to mourn... Life has to go on at some point... I just..."

Renji raised an eyebrow as she trailed off, staring ahead at something in the distance. Gazing in the direction where she was facing, the only thing he could see was the back of Captain's long-sleeved Haori as he stood in front of the large First Division door. What stood out the most was fact that the Captain had bright, orange hair and a large sword on his back. There was only one person that fit that description...

"...Ichigo?"

The figure slowly turned as his name was called, and his features lit up as he saw the Lieutenants of the Fifth and Sixth Division behind him.

"...Momo...? Renji...? What are you two doing here?"

Renji sized him up and asked, "What the hell do you mean!? What are _you_ doing here!? Why are you dressed like a Captain!?"

"...Because I'm the new Captain for the Fifth Squad, idiot, or can you not read the symbol on my back?"

Renji gaped at Ichigo, before groaning, "This kid beat me to the Captain's position in thirty years!? I lost to him and Hitsugaya! Damnit!"

Ichigo continued to smirk as Renji continued to rant, but out of the corner of his eye, he glanced over at Momo, attempting not to show how worried he really was.

_...Her mind's been badly damaged... The death of Captain Aizen left a heavy toll on her brain, and it seems she's snapped... We believe she might even blame you at some point..._

He completely turned away from the ranting red-head behind him and turned his full attention to Momo, feeling severely threatened by her accusatory gaze.

"...Momo... I..."

She simply blinked away tears as she looked at him, and a solemn, sad smile graced her face as she mumbled, "...He always said you were Captain material... I guess the Division's better in your hands than those of deranged Lieutenant."

"...You're not insane... I still believe in you."

She simply smirked drunkenly, and Ichigo frowned as she coyly mocked, "_You _still believe in me? Like _that's_ supposed to make me feel better? You're crazier than I am if you really believe that."

Renji, who had finally stopped cursing at everything in existence, placed his hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"Momo... It wasn't Ichigo's fault... H-"

She shrugged his hand away as she stumbled away from him, collapsing into Ichigo's arms.

"...Momo... I told you that I was sorry... I tried, but..."

The Lieutenant attempted to push Ichigo away, crying out, "But you didn't try hard enough! Captain Aizen died because of you!"

Suddenly, something snapped in Ichigo's mind, and he grabbed her by the collar and brought her to his face. She was shocked as he suddenly began screaming, "I though you were stronger than this, Momo...! That's why Aizen picked you as his Lieutenant in the first place! He sacrificed himself for both of us, damnit! You can stay here and bitch around, blaming me if you want to, but I'm gonna hunt down the sons of bitches that killed him! If you feel the same as me, then meet me in the hall and stand with me as my Lieutenant! If not, then hand me your resignation forms after this meeting and die in padded walls for all I care!"

Momo stood frozen as Ichigo yelled in her face, dropping her on the ground as he turned away and walked into the opening.

"If you won't do it, then I will... If fate was cruel enough to take my Captain away and give me the power to protect others at the same time, then that's what I'll do... To hell with anybody who disagrees."

His coattail and sleeves flowed behind him as he stormed off, leaving the two Lieutenants behind as they watched the large door close in front of them.

* * *

Ichigo stood between Captain Ichimaru and Captain Komamura as he waited in line for the Head-Captain's arrival. He felt Gin lean over to him and whispered, "Nervous for yer first meetin', Captain Kurosaki?"

"Tch, shut up."

The silver-haired prankster chuckled to himself as he leaned back in his spot. A sickening feeling rose in his gut at the care-free manner of the the Third Division, and he had the brief thought of the man being the instigator behind the events.

_'...But he was Captain Aizen's former Lieutenant and friend... Would the Captain's own friend really be capable of such...?'_

"It's good to see that you are all here... Lieutenant Hinamori? What are you doing here?"

At the booming voice, the Captains all turned to the entrance as Head-Captain Yamamoto stepped in. Next to him, the short woman scurried past him as she moved behind Ichigo. The Fifth Division Captain turned around as she entered and jumped in slight shock.

"Woah... I didn't think you were actually gonna come back, Momo!"

She gave him a slight glare, promising pain later on, as she coughed and addressed the entire hall with, "I'm sorry...! I know I didn't get the memo for this meeting...but I feel I should be here as the Lieutenant Representative of the Fifth Division! I am not unfit for my tasks, sir!"

Ichigo stared at her, allowing a small smirk to grace his face before turning back to the Head-Captain and shrugging.

"My Lieutenant has spoken. I guess that's that."

The Head-Captain simply shook his head as he wobbled over to his seat and rested in it, sighing and rubbing the scars on his bald head.

"Usually, meetings like this would only commemorate the rise in rank of a new Captain...like our very own Captain Ichigo Kurosaki, whose Bankai we have witnessed the other day was sufficient enough to allow him to become a Captain...but we do not have the time for such pleasantries... At this moment, we have to find the ones who were able to enter the Soul Society... And who allowed them in..."

The hall sat in silence as Yamamoto turned to address Ichigo.

"What enemies did you fight in the Rukon District?"

At his calling, Ichigo stepped forward out of the line. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke.

"...Well... I remember the one that I fought called himself an... 'Arrancar'. I thought they were simply Hollows... But other than the Hollow hole and their constant use of Cero, it felt like I was fighting another Soul Reaper... Which, now that I think about it, the Hollow I fought in Karakura Town was pretty similar..."

He stepped back in line as Yamamoto waved him back, and, completely out of place, Sui Feng stepped forward and elaborated, "That's because Arrancars are Hollows who've broken their masks and have attained a power and anatomy similar to a Soul Reaper, in the form of a Zanpakuto... Did you have to fight their Resurreccion?"

Everyone in the hall turned and looked at Sui Feng, and she narrowed her eyes at them and grounded out, "What?"

Captain Kurotsuchi snarled and asked, "How the hell do you have more knowledge in a subject than I do?"

Sui Feng visibly recoiled back into line as she mumbled something about "Lady Yoruichi" and "that Urahara bastard". That last part nearly caused Mayuri to blow a gasket before the Head-Captain shouted, "Enough! She's right... We can assume that the ones behind this attack are probably behind the Arrancar in Karakura Town... For the time being, we'll have to focus on Soul Society before we go to the Human World."

* * *

"The rain is still going strong, even after all of these days..."

Uryu Ishida gazed into the rainy sky from the window of the Hospital. He frowned as he felt his daughter's Reiatsu move closer to his house, alongside another familiar signature.

"...That idiot... I thought I told her not bring home any boys."

The flash of blue was the only thing that revealed the man was even there.

* * *

"...Does your father know about Ichigo?"

Orihime sighed as she skipped over a water puddle in the cement. Both she and Ginjo were heading back to Orihime's home in order to tell her father about Ichigo's arrival.

"...He knows that I rescued a Soul Reaper... But I don't think he knows his identity... Maybe he won't be mad if he discovers that it's Ichigo..."

The continued trudging along under the pouring rain, unaware of the incoming threat as it landed behind them.

"...What are my rules about bringing home boys? Particularly the older ones...?"

Both of the Fullbringers froze up and turned around as Uryu Ishida stood, dressed in his doctor's suit from work.

"Father! I'm glad your here..._for once_..."

Ignoring her whispered comment, the adult glared beyond her directly towards Ginjo. The man's hand shifted to his necklace as the holy arrow of the Quincy soared past him, and he and Orihime both wondered when the man withdrew his small, white bow.

"Father, what are you doing!? Stop it!"

The rain poured down heavily, rebounding from his glasses and hiding the emotions in his eyes as he fired another arrow, separating the two from each other.

"I told you to leave this man alone... He's nothing but trouble... Now I'm going to finish him off."

Orihime screamed out, "He's not! He hasn't done anything wrong! Why are you against him!? He was friends with Ichigo just as you were!"

She panted as her father completely stopped in his assault, peeking out towards his daughter from behind his bow as he retorted, "You don't know everything about Kurosaki. Just because you helped him once doesn't mean you now understand everything... You are just as ignorant as you were from the start."

Both she and Ginjo froze as he spoke, and Orihime called out, "You knew... I saved Ichigo?"

"...From the very beginning, I felt his Reiatsu. I knew you would go save him, and I knew you'd go to Ginjo about him to find out more... I see now that he hasn't told you what I wanted him to tell, but that's to be expected... History is noted as being_ 'his story'_... You only know what you're told... And no one paints themselves as the villain."

Ginjo frowned as he grounded out, "It wasn't my fault..."

"...It was... Kurosaki's death...is on your hands... He trusted you, and you let him die..."

Ginjo snarled from under his soaking locks and retorted, "So you blame me seriously, huh? I'm the reason you gave up your crusade against the Soul Reapers that betrayed us!? I'm the reason that-!"

"You're the reason Kurosaki's dead... Following your personal vendetta was his grave mistake... Allowing Orihime to trust you was a grave mistake... I won't allow you to take my daughter away with the same bullshit you spouted to Kurosaki! I'll kill you before I let that happen!"

The Fullbringer backflipped as a barrage of arrows came soaring his way, and he reached up for his necklace.

"Cross of Scaffold!"

Orihime fell to her knees as she watched the two adults prepare to clash and screamed out, "Stop it! Both of you!

Uryu frowned and dashed towards him, reaching in his back pocket for a small, slender tube. A pale blue light exploded from the opening, and he held it in a reverse grip as his blade clashed with Ginjo's in the air.

"...I told you... The moment you manipulated Ichigo with your bullshit... was the moment I had been contemplating your murder, Kugo Ginjo... Going after my daughter was committing suicide, idiot..."

* * *

Trivia:

-Issen Getsuga (Moon Fang Flash) is an attack for Hollow Ichigo in the Soul Resurreccion game. It's basically a faster, weaker Getsuga Tensho.

-Kokuryu Gatotsu (Black-Style Fang Pierce) is another attack for Ichigo(Final Getsuga Tensho) in the Soul Resurreccion game. It charges his blade with dark energy before using it as a powerful close ranged attack.

-I originally intended for Ichigo's Captaincy to happen later in the story, but I decided it would be better to start it now.


	8. Kill the Moonlight 3

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"Licht Regen."

Kugo Ginjo ducked under the barrage of incoming arrows, flipping through them all as he skidded some distance away from the Quincy. He glanced up as Uryu snapped his fingers, creating a small arrow between them as he flicked it towards the Fullbringer.

"Stielhandgranate."

The man gritted his teeth at the incoming bomb and hopped to the sky, watching as the small arrow detonated on the ground, combusting the road and sidewalk beneath him.

_'I haven't seen an attack like this since he used Quincy, Letzt Stil...! Even though he lost his powers then, it seems like he never did!'_

"Father! Please stop!"

Uryu looked over as Orihime ran towards him with the intent of holding him down. Just before her arms could reach him, he swiftly flashed back, a silver held tube to Orihime's face.

"Gritz."

Orihime gasped slightly as the tube erupted around her, entrapping her in a large film of Reishi like a prison. She wasn't heard from again. As Uryu was preoccupied with his daughter, he almost missed the Fullbringer sneaking up behind him.

"Getsuga Ten-!"

The Quincy father scowled and spat, "You dare use such a technique on me...?

Before Ginjo could pulled off the technique, Uryu brought his Seele Schneider up to clash against him.

'_Shit! He's using that Seele Schneider! That Reishi chainsaw... He's planning on usin' Getsuga Tensho against me!"_

"Don't ever underestimate me again. The Quincy that you've known me to be thirty years ago...is not the same one who stands before you know... This is the last thing I'll do for Kurosaki before I retire... Best to go out with style."

Ginjo's eyes widened as the Reishi beam reflected back against him, completely ruining most of his upper body. His clothes were tattered, barely hanging from his body. As he rolled to his feet after being thrown far away, he gazed up as Uryu moved his hand to his right glove, removing it as he started, "Quincy... Vollstan-"

He was abruptly cut off as his right arm was dislodged from his body. He twisted on his heel, turning directly into the eyes of his daughter. A pale-blue straight sword, lacking a sword guard, was in her hand and covered in blood. Behind her was a completely empty space with no sign that she had been trapped.

"Orihime!? What the hell are you doing!?"

_'Did she break out of that? No... That blade was made of Reishi... That was not her Fullbring... She deconstructed my Reishi and absorbed it from the inside... I have severly underestimated my own daughter.'_

The girl frowned and flicked away the blood from the sword. She then held the blade out, allowing it to revert back into a small piece of her hair clip before placing back where it belonged. Before Uryu could make a move, a large claymore was placed against the side of his neck and he was gazing into a six-pronged Reishi bow, courtesy of his daughter.

"I should be asking you the same thing, Father... But I'd rather not... You're going to tell me about Ichigo and Ginjo...and what he did to Ichigo."

Behind the Quincy, Ginjo blinked and gaped, "Wait, what!?"

Suddenly, he found himself gazing into an orange shield, which was placed around Uryu. He paused as Orihime's bow was now behind him.

"...I don't really know whether I should trust you either. So I'm taking both of you hostage anyway."

* * *

"...Taking me back to my home isn't really holding me hostage, Orihime."

Orihime frowned and held her fist at her father as she screamed, "Shut up! I know what I'm doing!"

"What the hell is Orihime doing?"

She turned as Sora stood behind her, sipping from a juice box as he stared at the scene. Tatsuki stood next to him, shaking her head in embarrassment as she drawled out, "Orihime? Do I really want to ask why you have Dad and Dad's enemy locked in a barrier?"

"Not unless you want the Robot Overlords to take you away and probe you in their alien spaceship!"

Sora and Tatsuki simply blinked at Orihime incredulously as she pointed to them maniacally. The elder brother simply held his hands up in a surrender gesture as he walked out, stating, "I'm just not gonna ask anymore questions. I don't want to know."

"Me neither," Tatsuki agreed as she followed behind her older brother.

Uryu deadpanned, "You've inherited your mother's insanity... How depressing..."

After sending away her brother and sister, she turned around and rounded on her father.

"You shut up! I'm going to be the one doing all the talking!"

Next to Uryu, Ginjo, also sealed in a barrier, rolled his head against the back of the chair and sighed, "If you're gonna ask us about Ichigo, then _we're _the ones that'll be talking."

"No one asked for your input! I already got your side of the story, now I need Father's! So you shut the hell up!"

The Quincy sighed as he straightened his glasses up with his left hand. Suddenly, both Orihime and Ginjo realized that Uryu was no longer tied up, and that remnants of the barrier had disappeared.

_'...That was my strongest barrier... When... When did he break out!? How!?'_

"The same as you... I've always held you in slight contempt for you for receiving the Fullbring from your mother... But I've forgotten...that a Quincy cannot be contained by another, because they could simply break down the Reishi. The only thing I did was access your Reiatsu memories... Unlike the bow that manifests from your clip, which is nothing more than a Fullbring mockery of the Quincy, that blade you're able to summon is the real deal," Uryu elaborated, walking to Orihime slowly.

Orihime panicked, as she realized her entire plans had collapsed in an instant. However, her father simply stopped in front of her and held his bloody stump in her face.

"Fix it."

* * *

"...Now tell me... Why are you so interested in Kurosaki?"

Orihime blinked as she looked up from healing her father's arm, then glanced at the ground as she struggled to find an answer. After moments of silence, she finally revealed, "...Ever since I saved him, everyone's demeanor completely changed... So I really wanted to know why everyone was lying to me... But..."

Both Ginjo and Uryu looked at her as she stopped speaking, waiting for her to finish.

"...But now I really want to know...about that man... I've always heard that Soul Reapers were the enemy...from you and Ginjo both... I've always said... that if someone as cool as Urahara and Yoruichi were banished, then Soul Society was nothing more than a dictator, threatening the other races with their Zanpakuto... So I wanted to know about the one Soul Reaper who changed so many people, and the only Soul Reaper to nearly sacrifice his life for me... If they're all so bad, then why did this one save me?"

She paused as the image of the smiling, but wounded Soul Reaper flashed in her mind before she continued, "So I'm going to find out as much about him as possible... That way, the next time I see him... I'll have something to talk with him about!"

Uryu stared at her as she grinned with her mother's bright, heart-warming smile and realized immediately that she really did inherit everything from her mother, including the undying love for Kurosaki.

_'You've got to be kidding me... I can't believe this is happening all over again.'_

Suddenly, his mind flashed with the haunting image of his daughter being... being... being... _infected_... by Kurosaki's essence...as her legs wrapped around his undead rival's hips. The orange-haired teenager's face immediately appeared, his trademarked scowl twisted into a victorious smirk.

_...Do you like the way your daughter loves me? She seems to enjoy screaming 'Kurosaki-kun!', doesn't she, father-in-law...?_

The Quincy's cheeks expanded as he nearly vomited in his mouth. He simply settled for palming himself in the face and rubbing his hand down to his chin.

"Oh...my...God... I'm not liking this at all..."

Orihime blinked and asked, "What's wrong!? Father, are you sick!?

"Yes. I think I need mind soap after this."

She jumped from her chair as she ran out of the door, screaming out, "I'll go pick something up from the store!"

"Orihime! That doesn't exist, damnit!"

The girl walked back into the room, scratching her head as she mumbled, "Then why did you say that...?"

Ginjo groaned, and he knew immediately that this was going to be a long day. Uryu motioned for Orihime to sit down next to him. She did so immediately, unwilling to get on his bad side for trapping him.

"...Alright... If you really want to know so badly... I'll tell you why this man," he stated, his thumb pointed at Ginjo, "...has to die."

The man in the chair rolled his eyes as he waited, and Orihime sat up in her seat as her father began to speak.

* * *

_Uryu stared across the campus to Orihime as she watched Ichigo walk away from the school, heading in the direction opposite of his home. He noticed her wide, bubbly eyes becoming wetter by the second, until she snapped them shut and turned away, walking towards her own home._

_ 'What happened with them?'_

_ Before Orihime could get too far, he used Hirenkyaku to speed his steps up, appearing next to her in a near instant._

_ "...What's wrong?"_

_ In that same instant, Uryu was immediately thrown to the ground from a Judo throw, feeling his glasses crack as they smashed into the pavement._

_ "Oh my! Uryu, I'm so sorry! You scared me to death!"_

_ '...No, actually, you scared me to death... I never knew you could move so fast, Orihime...'_

_ However, Uryu simply stood up, discarding his broken glasses as he reached into his pocket for his extra pair. Orihime continued to apologize, "Uryu, I'm so-!"_

_ He waved her off, still rubbing his sore nose as he said, "Don't worry about it... I should have seen that one coming..."_

_ Orihime frowned worriedly as he kept trying to stop the flow of blood from his nose, and used her abilities to heal him. After she was finished, she looked up to him as he stabilized himself and asked, "So why were you sneaking up on me anyways?"_

_ Uryu deadpanned, "I didn't sneak up on you... Don't say such weird things out loud... I was actually wondering about Kurosaki's destination, considering that's not the direction of his home._

_ Upon hearing that, the auburn-haired teenager's gaze turned solemn as she turned away abruptly, much to the Quincy's surprise._

_ "...He's gone else where... Go ask him yourself."_

_ He raised an eyebrow at her cold voice and turned back in the direction of Ichigo._

_ 'Kurosaki, what the hell did you do to piss off Orihime?'_

* * *

_ Ichigo stopped suspiciously at an abandoned apartment complex, looking left and right as he whipped out a card from his back pocket and slid it along a card slot. As he did so, a female voice sounded from the speaker phone._

_ "Welcome to our Xcution, Ichigo Kurosaki."_

_ Far from the scene, behind a tree, Uryu watched as Ichigo entered the opening._

_ '...Kurosaki's in a gang? That doesn't make any sense...'_

_ "...Why would Kurosaki come to a place like this?"_

_ Uryu jumped as a female voice resonated from behind him, asking, "Why, indeed?"_

_Turning, he met the gaze of a chocolate-skinned woman dressed in a black shirt and white pants, along with a pair of boots. His eyes widened as he cursed, "Oh shit!"_

_ "'Oh shit' indeed."_

* * *

_ "Ishida!? 'The hell are you doing here!?"_

_ Uryu was unceremoniously tossed into the room by the overpowering woman, rolling to his feet with his Kojaku aimed towards the other occupants in the room. Ichigo stood at the entrance to another room as he glared at the Quincy._

_ "...I was checking up on you... Orihime was worried..."_

_ Ichigo's features softened, but he still grounded out, "Tell her to mind her own damned business! I don't need her watching over me like I'm some idiot!"_

_ The Quincy frowned, as he'd never known Kurosaki to speak that way about Orihime. He turned to the other occupants, who all raised an eyebrow as he appeared._

_ "...A Quincy? Why are you here?"_

_ The teenager frowned as he yelled, "Damnit, I just said the reason why!?"_

_ "...I know, but I'm still wondering..."_

_ Uryu gritted his teeth as he scowled at the man dressed in the black suspenders and yelled, "Then you're an idiot!"_

_ A man dressed in mostly dark clothing held his hands up as he eased his way towards Uryu whily saying, "Calm down, kid... No one's trying to hurt you or Ichigo... The guy's just here to train his Fullbring."_

_ In repsonse, Uryu froze, as he realized that each individual in the room shared the same powers as Kurosaki._

_ "...You're... You're all... Fullbringers?"_

_ The blonde child playing his video game snorted, "What gave it away...? Was it the fact that Ginjo just said that?"_

_ Ichigo stared at Uryu as he simply nodded and turned on his heel, walking back to the door._

_ "...Fine... You can look after yourself, then... You should still apologize to Orihime the next time you see her."_

* * *

_ Uryu stopped directly in front of Ichigo later on that night, nearly bumping into him as he headed back to him his home._

_ "...Were you following me, Ishida?"_

_ Uryu scowled and replied, "No. I'm going to the store."_

_ Ichigo stared at him skeptically as he maneuvered his way around him. Before he left the vicinity, Uryu called out, "...Do you really trust those people?"_

_ The Fullbringer stopped as he looked down at the gravel, replying, "Not really... But I don't think they're bad people, honestly."_

_ Uryu nodded to himself and walked away, calling out over his shoulder, "You're still going to go talk to Orihime, right?"_

_ Ichigo clicked his tongue in annoyance as he smirked and said, "If you insist!"_

* * *

"Ichigo had changed once he joined Xcution. He'd become more angry... It had seemed like hatred had become his only friend, thanks to him."

Orihime looked over to Ginjo, who appeared to be in deep thought. She then turned back to her father and asked, "He hated Soul Reapers, right? That was why he joined Xcution."

Uryu frowned and stated, "That was his initial reason, but the truth was that he and Ginjo shared another sentiment."

While Orihime and Uryu continued to converse, Ginjo's mind was else where.

* * *

_"Where'd all these Hollows come from!?"_

_ Ginjo couldn't help but wonder the same thing as he and Ichigo fended off the horde of monsters closing in on Ichigo's home. Both of them were reaching their limits, and Ichigo could only hope that his father got his little sisters away in time. As Ginjo sliced another mask in half, he turned towards Ichigo, watching as a Hollow swiftly moved behind him._

_ "Ichigo! Look out!_

_ Ichigo froze as the putrid breath of a Hollow misted on his neck, and he knew it was over. Ginjo tried to rush over to him, but knew that he wouldn't be able to make it on time. As if a prayer was answered, a large beam of light came from the monster's side, piercing through its skull and mask along with a gigantic gathering of Hollows._

_ Both he and Ichigo froze as a mocking voice drawled from the side, "My, oh my... Isn't this quite the predicament you guys are in...?"_

_ They both turned as a figure dressed in dark clothing appeared from the shadows, revealing his white robes and his hand on the lengthy blade. His mocking eyes were slitted under his silver hair, and his grin was stretched to inhuman widths._

_ "...You guys don't look too happy to see me... What did I do wrong?"_

* * *

Trivia:

-Stielhandgranate is German for "Stick Hand Grenade" (AKA Grenade on a Stick). It's based from the arrow he shoots at Mayuri after entering Quincy: Letzt Stil, which is when he calls forth the arrow from his Reishi Wing/Quiver. Instead of shooting it, he simply flicks it and watches the explosion.

-Orihime can still shoot Heilig Pfiel from the Shun Shun Rikka Bow (Similar to what Ichigo does against Tsukishima), which is, as Uryu says, a "Fullbring mockery of the Quincy", but her true weapon manifests as a sword.


	9. Kill the Moonlight 4

Disclaimer: This man doe not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

_"...Who the hell are you?"_

_ 'A... A Soul Reaper? He's here... saving us from the Hollows?"_

_ The silver-haired man grinned wider, if that was possible, as Ichigo spoke to him and stated, "...Me? I'm a Soul Reaper... What does it look like? You're not blind, are ya?"_

_ "I know that! I mean..."_

_ The man interrupted sarcastically, "You meant 'Why the hell is a Soul Reaper helping us', right? I'm not really here to help, you see... Me and my fellow Captains here... are searching for the murderers of the Soul Reapers in this area... Might you help me find them, Fullbringers?"_

_ Ichigo and Ginjo's eyes widened as the man pointed his wakizashi at the two of them. He knew they were Fullbringers and he knew about the murders in the area, causing Ichigo to panic as he locked eyes with the man's narrowed blue ones._

_ 'That look in his eyes... Does he know we killed them!?'_

_ Ginjo grunted as he lifted his claymore over his shoulder and grounded out, "He knows, Kurosaki... Regardless if we explain to him that they tried to eliminate us first, he still has orders from his higher ups... Go all out!"_

_ He held his blade up and Ichigo gripped his charm tighter. A large explosion of Reiatsu appeared, causing the Soul Reaper's Captain haori to waver from the winds._

_ "...Gosh, that's scary. I might have to release my Zanpakuto for real this time."_

_ Eventually, the winds cleared away, revealing Ginjo equipped with a new claymore. The handle had changed to black color, and a symbol of a skull rested in its center._

_ Ichigo, however, was dressed similar as a Soul Reaper, except that both his blade and his clothing were all made of Reiatsu. The blade, however, was thin and covered in black Reiatsu, with the charm as its handle.  
_

_ The silver-haired man's eyes opened again as he stared at Ichigo, surprised clearly written on his face._

_ '...A Shihakusho? That charm gave him the appearance of a Soul Reaper? Or maybe... Maybe that's from his father's side... His own dormant Reiatsu molding with his Fullbring...'_

_ However, upon looking over at Ginjo, he realized that these Soul Reaper-like powers they've attained..._

_ '...That's from the Soul Reapers they've killed over the past few months... Killing them and __taking their Reiatsu... Poor bastards...'_

_ "...Man, you guys sure are tough... I don't think I can handle you two on my own."_

_ He suddenly dashed forward, intending on ridding the battle of Ginjo while he focused on Ichigo. Suddenly, he found his blade thrown to the side as the boy in question stepped in front of him, blocking before his blade could strike._

_ "Not on my watch."_

_ The man's teeth showed as he smirked, commenting, "How scary."_

_ "It's over!"_

_ Turning his head, the man watched as Ginjo jumped over Ichigo, intending on blasting him away with this attack._

_ "Stop being hasty, Ginjo!"_

_ The man flipped away as Ginjo missed, destroying a large portion of the street. Ichigo looked over his shoulder as the man appeared behind him. The black sleeve on the man's left arm had been slightly tinged as he managed to dodge the attack._

_ "Two-on-two's no fun. You, with the large sword... Why don't cha just lemme kill ya, so I can mess around with Strawberry Yum-Yums?"_

_ Ichigo frowned as the Captain spoke, and angrily charged forward, the intention to kill clear in his eyes._

_ 'Neither one of us has said our first names... Even though my name doesn't actually mean strawberry, he shouldn't even know that much... He also wants to get rid of Ginjo ASAP... Is he here for me? For my father? Is he the one behind the Hollow attacks?'_

_ "You bastard!"_

_ The man jumped to the air as Ichigo swung his blade with all of his might. As soon as he landed, Ichigo's attacks continued, pushing him further and further away. The man blocked each of his anger-filled strikes as he yawned, "Hmm? I thought you would have been better than this, Strawberry Shortcake."_

_ "My name doesn't mean strawberry, damnit!"_

_ Ichigo swung again, clashing into the stranger's. The other fighter sighed, "Is this your Fullbring? You're nowhere near your potential yet, Berry-Man..."_

_ Ginjo sweatdropped as Ichigo continuously swung at the other man, who dodged all of his strikes by flash-stepping the instant he swung._

_ '...Is he really that pissed about the Captain calling him strawberry?'_

_ Eventually, Ichigo caught up to him, slicing another hairline off as the other jumped back._

_ "He-Hey! I don't need a haircut! I just got o-"_

_ The joke was halted as Ichigo clashed with him again, this time, tossing him to the air. The man's blade continued to block consistently as Ichigo intended to dice him to pieces in the air._

_ "You're not gonna get away from me!"_

_ The man smirked and flashed away from Ichigo's line of sight, appearing behind him as he smirked up at him and jested, "You've become boring, Ichigo... I'm done playing with you."_

_ Ichigo frowned and dashed towards, though he disappeared again. Ichigo looked up in the sky as the Captain fell down on him with a hammering strike, completely erasing the Reiatsu from his left arm, revealing the tattered school uniform underneath._

_ "Ooh, look! An opening!"_

_ The man kicked Ichigo in his shoulder, sending him to the ground as he rolled to a crouch. The man pointed his blade down to Ichigo, smiling wickedly as he whispered, "Shoot him dead... Shinso."_

_ The thin sword suddenly burst into white light as it stretched towards Ichigo, who was too injured to react in time.  
_

_ 'Shit... I'm done for!'_

_ Before the blade could pierce through him, a figure moved in front of him, blocking the large sword with his claymore.  
_

_ "...Mah...Didn't I tell you to skedaddle?"_

_ Ginjo narrowed his eyes as he stood in front of Ichigo. He glared up to the Captain as the man made a motion for him to go away._

_ "No can do... I can't let you get your hands on Kurosaki."_

_ He grimaced as he felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked over as Ichigo grabbed him and said, "Move... I can get this guy... I-"_

_ He was cut off as Ginjo abruptly slammed his elbow down onto his back, sending him to the ground as he said, "Your time's up. It's my turn now."_

_ "...You already know I'm here for Berry-bear. If you cross swords with me, I'm gonna kill you."_

_ Ginjo sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Let's get this show on the road!"_

_ The stranger grinned and dashed forward at the same time as Ginjo, both of their swords clashing in the air. Kicking off of the air, Ginjo rose higher than the enemy and slammed his blade over head, which the Captain responded by blocking the strike._

_ "...You're good. I'll give you that, Fullbringer. But it's not enough."_

_ Ginjo scowled and jumped higher in the air, allowing his blade to cover itself in green Reiatsu. He jumped higher, fully intent on ending it with that strike._

_ "Then stop bitchin', and get a load of this!"_

_ The bottom lip of the Captain pouted as he drawled out, "This...doesn't seem like it's gonna be too pleasant."_

_ "You're damn right!"_

_ Swing his blade down, Ginjo unleashed a powerful destructive beam, completely obliterating most of the area. Ginjo landed back on the ground, grunting as he stared into the large explosion._

_ "That would have ruined my haori... The Head-Captain would've been pissed if that had happened... I gotta say though... That was really dangerous, Kugo Ginjo."_

_ The man's eyes widened as he turned around to the Captain, who held his hand above his brow to block out the light. He grinned and turned around, swinging his blade as Ichigo appeared behind him and clashing again. After throwing him back, Ichigo dashed forward again, this time moving past him as the silver-haired man dodged._

_ "This isn't over yet!"_

_ The other man smirked and watched as Ichigo attempted to feint him by using his Bringer Light to circle around him, attempting to strike at any opening he could see._

_ "You're doing better. I'm slightly impressed...," he jested, placing his right thumb and index finger only millimeters apart, "Only slightly."_

_ With that same right hand, he grabbed the blade and clicked his tongue as he wagged his left finger._

_ "...That's a no-no, Ichigo."_

_ Ichigo roared, feeling as his entire body was emblazed in black-and-red Reiatsu. The smirk from the other man's face finally left as he felt the empowering Reiatsu._

_ 'This...is what Aizen was looking for... That Soul Reaper power... This is the real deal here.'_

_ "RRRAAAGGGGHHHHH!"_

_ The Captain gritted his teeth as he felt the muscles and tendons in his arms rip and tear under the blade's pressure. He pushed out at the last minute before the blade could tear his arm up. He looked down at the torn and ripped sleeve and cursed._

_ "Damn... Now the old man's gonna be up my ass... Guess that's my queue to leave, huh?"_

_ The Fullbringer charged at him again, screaming, "Get back here!"_

_ The man held his chin in thought before shaking his head, replying, "Nah...Gots places to be, people to see... Bye-bye, now...!"_

_ Ichigo felt himself strike through air as the man disappeared from his spot, and he landed in a heap on the ground._

_ "...He...He got away..."_

_ He looked over as Ginjo held his hand out, and Ichigo grabbed it to pull himself up. As they stood panting, Ichigo felt the pressure of someone nearby, and turned as his father appeared._

_ "...You..."_

_ His father gazed down at him, completely serious instead of his usual goofy self. He gazed into the far off distance before randomly punching his son in the stomach, completely eliminating his Fullbring as he cried out, "You're not paying attention, Ichigo! You have to be on guard at all times!"_

_ The man suddenly found himself pulled to the ground as Ichigo screamed, "Damnit, Goat-Face! This isn't the time nor the place!"_

* * *

_ "...So how was he?"_

_ Sosuke Aizen, Captain of the Fifth Squad, turned towards his subordinate, Gin Ichimaru. The silver-haired Captain grinned as he shrugged._

_ "How did you know I went to him? I met a cute girl at a candy shop, and she offered to give me a-"_

_ A voice interrupted, "No one wants to hear about your little games with under-aged brats."_

_ Gin frowned as Kaname Tosen walked into the terminal room, commenting, "Are you calling me some kind of creeper?"_

_ "...If you're finding little girls at candy shops.."_

_ Aizen closed his eyes and ordered, "Enough. Gin, I know you paid him a little visit. Even though I gave no such order, I am not angry for this... I want to know what he was like."_

_ The man smirked and said, "...Edgy...and cool... I want to be just like him when I grow up."_

_ "Gin."_

_ The Third Division Captain laughed and waved them off as he walked over to the terminal, inserting a computer drive. The screen appeared, gritty at first until it slowly revealed the fight._

_ "...It seems his Quincy abilities are reacting to his Fullbring. The Hollow-like powers are threatening them, and his body is naturally calling upon his Soul Reaper powers in order to combat the Quincy's hostile take over... That answers the question of why his Fullbring now appears as a Soul Reaper... However, that blade he held was definitely based from a Quincy's Seele Schneider... His first form was the opposite... The Quincy abilities had taken over, and his Soul Reaper powers were pushed to the side. That means..."_

_ Aizen frowned as he finished, "His Soul Reaper powers and his Quincy Powers are canceling each other out... His third form will become more Hollow-like, with little input from the Quincy and Soul Reaper powers."_

_ "...Did that go as planned? It usually does, huh?"_

_ Gin smiled secretly to himself as Aizen's scowl deepened, and he knew that it didn't go as planned._

_ "...It's time for a little intervention. While I'm doing that, Tosen, I want you to find out who released those Hollows..."_

_ The silver-haired Captain's smirk fell as he struggled to comprehend, asking, "...That wasn't you? My Division informed me of a large Hollow gathering in their assigned areas... I assumed there was something you were investigating."_

_ Aizen frowned and lifted his glasses further upon his nose as he grounded out, "No. That's why I want to know who else is involving themselves in this little game."_

* * *

_ "...Dad?"_

_ Isshin Kurosaki turned around as his son appeared behind him, his Fullbringer reformed around his body._

_ "...I see you're going back to the Xcution base... You're going to leave your sisters behind again?"_

_ Ichigo looked down to the floor, sorrow clearly written in his eyes before he looked back at his father and stated, "This is helping me get stronger... I need to get stronger, so I can protect them-"_

_ "...You're getting stronger to kill more Soul Reapers."_

_ Pausing at his father's accusations, he frowned and said, "Those Soul Reapers attack me first... I had no choice."_

_ "...That's the only excuse I'll give you... So what of the hundreds of other Soul Reapers after that? Was it revenge...or power? Regardless, neither one is a path that you should follow, Ichigo."_

_ Ichigo gritted his teeth as he yelled, "You're one to talk! You've attained that power to save the souls, right!? To avenge mother, right!? What makes you different!? Why do you not hate them for abandoning mother at her time of need!?"_

_ "...Ichigo, they're not always around whenever you need them... They can only help those in their immediate vicini-"_

_ Ichigo roared and grabbed his father by his collar as he screamed, "Then Soul Society is full of bullshit! I can't put lives in the hands of people that aren't any help! I'll save the souls by myself and-"_

_ "Steal the powers of Soul Reapers to do so? You're nothing more than a kid pretending to play hero, Ichigo... There's nothing justifiable in your quest of vengeance."_

_ The teenager gritted his teeth and spat, "Then you stay here and mourn for all I care... I'm actually gonna do something about m-"_

_ "Big Brother? Who are you yelling at?"_

_ Ichigo and Isshin looked over to the entrance way to the kitchen, where Yuzu and Karin were on the staircase. Karin gazed at them knowingly, wondering why Ichigo was using his powers. To Yuzu, however, the only thing she could see was Ichigo raging on nothing. Isshin looked over at the girls before turning back to Ichigo and saying, "Is abandoning them worth the price of power and vengeance? If that's the case, then you should simple leave...and don't come back."_

_ Ichigo's eyes widened, along with Karin's, as they both gazed at the man with confusion written on their faces._

_'...He's...kicking me out...? I don't... I...'_

_ Ichigo simply dropped his father and ran out of the doorway, leaving behind a confused Yuzu as she screamed, "Big Brother!? Where are you going!?"_

* * *

_ **...Is abandoning them worth the price of power and vengeance...?**_

_ ...This isn't...vengeance... This is justice... It's completely different... I'm not some kind of monster... I... I want to help people...!_

_ Ichigo stood under the rain, still in his Fullbring, as he stared into the apartment complex. Eventually, the balcony door opened, and Jackie Tristan looked over the balcony and called out, "You have a visitor, Ginjo."_

_ Eventually, the man came out, staring at Ichigo from the top of the balcony. After a few moments of staring, he ordered, "Go get his bags and find him a room..."_

* * *

_ Ichigo shivered beneath the towel as he sipped from the coffee mug. Ginjo sat across from him and waited for him to speak. Eventually, he placed the cup on the table and crossed his arms, his eyes downcast to the floor._

_ "...What brings you here, Kurosaki...?"_

_ Instead of answering, he grunted and turned away. Ginjo continued to wait until he whispered, "...My father..."_

_ "...Not many exiled Soul Reapers hold hatred for Soul Society... We can't ask for their help... We can only do this on our own."_

_ Ichigo sighed as he fell back into the sofa, and Riruka grabbed his shoulder in a slight attempt to comfort him._

_ As they all sat back and reflected, an overpowering amount of pressure ravaged the air, and everybody's eyes widened. Riruka looked all around her as she asked, "What the hell was that!?"_

_ "...This pressure feels off... Ichigo! Let's g-"_

_ Ginjo paused as Ichigo wasn't even there when he addressed him and finished up slowly, "...let's get out of here... Goddamnit."_

* * *

_ Ichigo jumped across the buildings as he moved closer to the Reiatsu. He saw the large Hollow in the distance... a Menos Grande thrashing around in a park._

_ "That Reiatsu isn't coming from him... This is the pressure of a Soul Reaper."_

_ He jumped down into the park, watching as a man, dressed in a similar attire to the man from earlier. The only difference was that he had brown hair and glasses, and his haori was long-sleeved. He was heavily wounded, seemingly bleeding out of all his pores. He turned around, throwing away his cracked glasses as he saw Ichigo._

_ "You... Are... Are you a Soul Reaper...?"_

_ Ichigo frowned as he landed next to the man, not answering as he glared at the large Hollow._

_ "...You just go back to Soul Society, Soul Reaper Captain. This area is under the protection of Xcution."_

_ The man panted as he shook his head, stating, "No... As a Captain of the Gotei Thirteen...this is my job... I have to... protect Humans like yourself."_

_ Ichigo turned to him and snarled, "I don't need protection from you. I can handle myself..."_

_ "...Then...let me join you in your attack... We can take this thing down together..."_

_ The teenager simply clicked his tongue in disapproval and dashed towards it, instantly striking at its feet. The beast roared and attempted to kick him away, though it eventually lost it from a blast, courtesy of the Captain._

_ "Hado Number Four...! Byakurai...!"_

_ Ichigo frowned as the Captain saved him, and he wondered if he was one of the teammates with the silver-haired Captain from earlier spoke of._

_ 'Why isn't he here helping him?'_

_ "...Where are your teammates? Shouldn't they be here?"_

_ The man breathed out angrily, "You mean Captain Gin and Tosen...? Those traitorous bastards?"_

_ He gestured to his body, and Ichigo finally realized that those wounds weren't from the Hollow... Those were blade wounds on his body._

_ 'So that Captain was acting on his own accord?'_

_ "...I can take you to someone for healing after this... For right now, you need to stay back..."_

_ The man's eyes suddenly widened as he pointed towards the Menos, and Ichigo turned around as the man yelled, "You need to stay back!"_

_ "Ichigo! Get back from his Cero!"_

_ Ichigo's mind didn't register the yell from Ginjo as he stood in shock at the red light appearing from the Hollow's mouth._

_ '...That's...a Cero!?'_

_ Before Ichigo could react, the beam was fired, and Ichigo was encompassed in red light._

_ "Crap! Ichigo!"_

_ However, the only that registered was that an even more ominous presence had appeared from the red light. Both the Captain and Ginjo stared in awe as a hand appeared from the light, seemingly tossing away the Cero as if it were nothing._

_ "...Don't worry... I'll finish this in an instant."_

_ Ichigo stood in the center, his body covered in a black bodysuit with skeletal armor, along with red fur around his neck, wrists, and ankles. From underneath his armor, a black coattail trimmed with red flowed behind him. On his right shoulder was a black, leather shoulder guard with a large, red Reishi wing protruding from it. In his hand was a thin, black Daito, which had the Kanji for "Final" as its handle guard, which flowed up his arm with a thick chain.  
_

_ '...Even though that blade contains the powers of a Soul Reaper, and that wing is a representation of a Quincy... This Reiatsu is definitely a Fullbringer's... I can feel the blood thirst from "Whitey" even from this distance.'_

* * *

Trivia:

-Ichigo's second Fullbring is the same as Canon. The only difference is that his sword is based on a Quincy's Seele Schneider. His Third form is also similar to Canon, except it has elements from his Hollowfication (Red Fur), Bankai (Coattail and Tensa ZangetsuDangai training version), and Uryu's Quincy Letzt Still (Shoulder Guard and Reishi Wing).

-Ginjo's not a Substitute Soul Reaper(yet), nor has he stolen Ichigo's Fullbring, so his blade simply contains the power of a Soul Reaper. He can't use his skeletal mode.

-Gin's speech is also based on recent Chapters, where Kisuke Urahara says that Quincy are the complete opposite of a Soul Reaper. Ichigo's first Fullbringer from the fight against Tsukishima was more Quincy-based because it fought back his Soul Reaper Powers (He hadn't activated them). His second form is more Soul Reaper-based, as he and Ginjo began murdering Soul Reapers and stealing their powers, causing his Soul Reaper to become more dominant. The reason his third form is more Hollow-like is because his Quincy and Soul Reaper abilities had finally canceled themselves out, leaving the Hollow Reiatsu(Fullbringer) to simply pick up the pieces, similar to how Canon Ginjo tells Ichigo he has more Hollow powers in his Bankai because he is a Fullbringer.

Continuing from the earlier point, that's exactly what Aizen doesn't want. Ichigo being more Hollow-like isn't his goal, which is why he decided to do something about it.


	10. Devicide

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

_"...Come at me."_

_ Ichigo watched as the Menos Grande charged another Cero, and waited until it came down at him._

_ "...This'll be easy..."_

_ The only thing the Captain and Ginjo saw was the Menos Grande being split in half, splattering blood across the grass and into the nearby ponds._

_ '...When... When did Ichigo lift his blade...? I didn't...see anything...'_

_ Suddenly, the Captain groaned as he collapsed to the ground, coughing up gallons of blood as he fell over. Ichigo turned around, deactivating his Fullbring as he rushed to the fallen warrior at the same time as Ginjo. He stared up at the two of them as he held his Zanpakuto in his hand, and he smirked. He closed his eyes and inquired, "...So...are you going...to kill me now, Fullbringers...? You've stolen the Reiatsu of many Soul Reapers, but the energy of a Captain... would be too good of a chance to waste..."_

_ Ichigo frowned as he looked down at the man, prepared to simply walk away. However, he heard the formation of Ginjo's own Fullbring, and turned around just as the man pointed his claymore towards the fallen Captain._

_ "Oi! Let him go! He'll either be rescued by his team, or executed by traitors. Let him be, Ginjo."_

_ Ginjo's eyes snapped to Ichigo's as he commented, "You heard him... He's right about a Captain's Reiatsu... You're just gonna let it go to waste in a place like this?"_

_ "...You sound like a monster, Ginjo. Stop it... He's done nothing wrong, so I see no reason to kill him."_

_ Ichigo then turned on his heels, walking away until he heard the sound of blade piercing through flesh, and turned around screaming, "What the hell is wrong with you, Ginjo!?"_

_ The man had stabbed his claymore cleanly through the chest of the Captain, lifting him in the air as he began absorbing the brown-haired Soul Reaper's energy. Suddenly, a fist dug deep into his chin, knocking him down as scowled towards the offender._

_ "Kurosaki!? The hell is with you!?"_

_ Ichigo gritted his teeth as he punched Ginjo again, though the man recovered from the second blow by flipping to his feet. He rolled his shoulders and snarled, "Kurosaki... That is the last straw. Attack me again, an-"_

_ "And you'll what? You're not acting normal! You acting like a Hollow, damnit!"_

_ A cough from below Ichigo's feet drew his attention to the fallen Captain, who stared up at him and groaned out, "...You're helping... an enemy? You're an odd fellow..."_

_ "...You're the one who's odd, considering you helped me even though you knew I killed many Soul Reapers."_

_ The man chuckled and coughed out, "...Well... I can actually see...some good in you... You're not that bad of a guy... That's why... That's why I want to...entrust you with something..."_

_ Ichigo grimaced and visibly flinched as he felt the Soul Reaper point his blade towards the heart of the Fullbringer, and Ginjo shouted, "Fuck! Where'd they come from!?"_

_ Turning his head in Ginjo's direction, he realized that more Menos Grandes had landed in the area, looming over them as they all began to charge their Cero. However, the Captain's blade was stabbed through his chest before he had a chance to react, and an explosion of blue Reiatsu nearly blinded Ginjo as he turned back to Ichigo and shouted, "Shit! What did you just do, Captain!?"_

_**...I'm entrusting my heart to you... Ichigo Kurosaki...**_

_He finally peeked from between his fingers as the light cleared away. He saw the back of Soul Reaper with a large sword, which had a black sheathe and handle guard set. His arms and legs were covered with "X"-shaped bands, along with a black-and-white collar. The man pulled out the large sword, which was just as large as his, with a curved katana edge, with a single prong protruding behind it. Suddenly, every Menos Grande's head was separated from their body in an instant, and their blood appeared along the edge of the blade._

_ Ginjo held out his blade as he prepared to fight the stranger, though stopped upon realizing the identity of the Soul Reaper with the orange hair._

_ "...Kurosaki!?"_

_ The remaining Reiatsu, which appeared as a single wing, finally vanished as the winds around him settled down._

_ "...Why are you... Why are you wearing a Shihakusho!? I mean... I mean a real SHIHAKUSHO! HAVE YOU B-!?"_

_ Ichigo turned around and stared him, scowling as he said, "Stop screaming... It's annoying, and you're hurting my ears..."_

_ Ginjo blinked, and then repeated, "Have you become a Soul Reaper!? Did he...?"_

_ Ichigo looked down at his outfit and the large blade, and then shrugged, "I guess I did?"_

_ "...It would definitely seem like it."_

_ Both of them turned as another voice entered the clearing, which was a man in a black haori and pinstriped hat, with a green outfit underneath._

_ "Urahara? Were you watching this entire time?"_

_ The man giggled and hid his face behind his fan, chuckling, "Nope! I was just here for some ramen, and then I was looking for the restroom."_

_ "If you're gonna lie, then make up a better excuse! The ramen shop is on the other end of the town!"_

_The man simply peeked from between his fan and hat, stating, "I think you should come with me, Ichigo Kurosaki."_

* * *

Ginjo's thoughts were cut off as he realized that both Uryu and Orihime were staring at him, and he growled, "What?"

Orihime's bottom lip trembled as she asked, "Did... Did you really kill Ichigo? Just to take his Substitute Soul Reaper powers?"

Ginjo blinked, and then replied, "Hell no! I told you asswipes already... Kurosaki was my partner in crime. I stole my Soul Reaper powers from the Captain, and then from the rest of the Soul Reapers we found after that... I didn't become a Substitute Soul Reaper until after Kurosaki died!"

Uryu frowned and growled, "Because you killed him and stole it from him... Your intentions were to steal his Soul Reaper powers from the very beginning."

"No! My intentions were to steal his father's...a-at first, I mean..."

_All Soul Reapers piss me off... So I figured... 'If they won't, then I will... If fate was cruel enough to take my mother away and give me the power to protect others at the same time, then that's what I'll do'... To hell with the Soul Reapers that disagree._

"Ichigo's philosophy showed me something that I never thought about... We began stealing the powers from other Soul Reapers to protect others...and to keep ourselves alive... Having the Reiatsu of a Soul Reaper allows us to stay younger, so we could protect those who fell victim to the lack of Soul Reapers for a little while longer... Though I'll admit, I wanted that power to destroy those Soul Reapers instead... Me and Kurosaki's vengeance was similar, but we looked down two completely different roads...but I never betrayed him... He _betrayed_ me."

* * *

A voice sounded from the right of her, "Good morning, Lieutenant Hinamori! Glad to see you're back in better health!"

"Morning."

The Lieutenant continued her trek to her destination as another voiced call out, "Happy to see you're up and about, Lieutenant!"

"Thank you. And good day to you as well."

Momo Hinamori finally stopped in front of the Shoji leading to the Fifth Division Captain's Office. This area was totally unfamiliar to her, as Captain Aizen's office was on the Second floor. Her new Captain's office was on the first floor, which, according to many of the older members of the division, was the office of the previous Captain of the Fifth Division...back when Aizen was the Lieutenant.

_'I wonder... was he this anxious when he met with his Captain?'_

Momo hesitantly raised her hand up to knock, though stopped halfway. Straightening herself out, she raised her hand again and knocked, calling out, "It's almost time, Captain!"

"Yeah, yeah. I know already... Come on in and wait..."

She rolled her eyes and stepped inside the office, apologizing, "Pardon my sudden intrusion, but..."

She stopped upon seeing her Captain staring at himself in the mirror. He was looking at his large Zanpakuto, watching as it constantly shrunk and enlarged as he willed it.

"...Ichigo? I mean... Captain Kurosaki, what are you doing?"

The orange-haired Soul Reaper turned back as his Lieutenant entered the door and scowled immediately.

"Call me Ichigo. That Captain Kurosaki shit's annoying..."

Momo nodded and sighed, "Alright, Captain Kurosaki," which caused Ichigo to glare at her as she repeated, "...but that still doesn't explain what you're doing..."

Ichigo frowned as he looked down at his Zanpakuto, and then stated, "Every other Captain has their Zanpakuto shrunk and sealed to a manageable size... I want to be cool like the other Captains and have it on my waist, but I've always held it on my back..."

Momo blinked as she sweatdropped and asked, "Is that really so important? If that's the case, then shrink it, idiot. Captains have the ability to manage their Zanpakuto to any size they want. Toshiro doesn't have his on his waist, and I think he's pretty cool. And Captain Kurotsuchi has his Zanpakuto on his crotch, so does it really matter?"

"...'Cause Toshiro's a midget, and Mayuri's creepy... And don't call your Captain an idiot... This is a serious issue, damnit."

Ichigo suddenly looked seriously into the mirror as he enlarged his blade and placed it on his back.

"I'm gonna be a rebel and start a new trend! Zanpakuto's on the back!"

Momo deadpanned, "You just said Toshiro wasn't cool for that very reason."

"...Well... I'm not a midget, so that doesn't apply to me."

* * *

"...I really wished they would open the doors now."

Momo looked over to Ichigo as he placed his hands on his hips, staring at the large door and waiting for it to open.

"Be patient... The doors open will open when they are ready."

Ichigo scowled and crossed his arms as he groaned, "This is taking too long."

"The door's opened, now stop complaining and enter."

Ichigo rounded on his Lieutenant, shouting, "Gladly!" before he was kicked in the face and sent flying past Momo.

"Stay on your toes at all times, Captain!"

Ichigo growled as he stood up, storming towards the Sixth Division Lieutenant, Renji Abarai until his own Lieutenant grabbed and pulled him back.

"Lemme at him!"

The redhead pulled a childish face as he taunted Ichigo, who began turning red in boiling anger as he threatened more bodily harm to him. Momo groaned as she pulled her Captain into the First Division's Barracks.

* * *

"...That meeting was pretty lame... If he really just needed two more divisions to aid the Ninth Division in their security mission, then he should have just called those Divisions... What a pain..."

Momo sighed as her Captain complained for the hundredth time since they walked away from the meeting.

"...He was informing the Captains and Lieutenants to be on their guard, just in case the enemy struck the Seireitei directly. You should pay attention to what's happening around you, idiot."

Ichigo frowned and spat, "...I could have sworn I was the Captain here...! Stop disrespecting me!"

Momo raised an eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips as she teased, "Yeah... in brute muscle! You'd be lost without me doing all of the thinking!"

Ichigo paused and looked elsewhere, as he couldn't deny the truth. He grumbled to himself about "bratty Lieutenants who need to learn their place" and walked into his office, followed by a smirking Momo. She walked in after him, watching as he fell back in his seat and placed his legs on the desk.

"What are you doing?"

Ichigo blinked and replied, "Relaxing... It's my day off..."

Momo frowned and pushed his feet away from the desk and shouted, "You have no day off! You're too laid back and lazy! I'm not gonna sit around and do your work while you just sit here and do nothing!"

Ichigo blinked again, and replied, "You've always done my paperwork while I kicked back... What's the problem now?"

His Lieutenant's eyes widened incredibly, and she disbelievingly stated, "You're...You're the goddamned Captain! You're supposed to be on top of your job! You outrank me now!"

"...So if I outrank you... I order you to do my paperwork."

A maniacal look appeared in her face as she gripped her hair in frustration, and Ichigo had the brief image of her jumping over the desk and stabbing him to death. She simply sighed and mumbled, "_...Why did they pick the worst replacement for Aizen...? He's nowhere near as responsible and-_"

She stopped and covered her mouth when she became aware of what she was saying, and quickly bowed, apologizing, "Sorry, Captain Kurosaki! I wasn't aware of my surroundings, and was speaking out of turn! Please forgive me!"

However, Ichigo simply stared down at her, heaving heavily as held his face in his hands on the desk. Momo's eyes softened as she walked over to his desk and sat on it. After a few moments of silence, she finally breathed out, "...I guess we're both not really used to this, huh?"

"Tch... No kidding... Maybe I should just drop the haori on your desk..."

Momo sweated and looked away, nervously answering, "I'd rather not... I don't think I could handle the pressure, so I was kinda glad that you were picked instead."

Ichigo frowned and looked towards her, growling out, "Damn you... I can't handle the pressure any better than you could!"

"...But you've done a lot of stupid things before... You can handle pressure...," she joked, causing him to scowl at her, "You could be a great Captain, Ichigo... You just need to respect yourself, and become more responsible."

Ichigo blinked in response, falling deeper in his seat as he said, "...You're right... I'll try to be mo-"

He was cut off as an overwhelming Reiatsu signature made itself known.

"...I've grown tired of you ignoring me... You were taking too long with this little...'expressing your feelings' meeting, so I decided to just... drop on in."

Behind Ichigo was a figure dressed in white, like the Arrancars before. However, his outfit consisted of a frilly jacket and one gentleman's glove on his left hand. His face was completely covered by the shadows of night.

Ichigo scowled and spat, "Get the hell off of my chair."

"...Nah... I kinda like it here."

Ichigo turned back to Momo and ordered, "Go alert the Captains... Tell them that the Arrancar are he-"

Before he could finish, an alarm went off, and Isane Kotetsu's voice resonated in his head.

_"If you can all hear me, please be warned! There are Arrancars in the area! The Arrancars have invaded the Seireitei!"_

Ichigo grunted, "Speak of the devil and it will appear... Momo, keep the Division under protection. This bastard here," and pointed his thumb at the Arrancar behind him, "is mine."

"...Really? You think you have the powers to defeat an Espada? You're outta you-"

Before the man could finish, he was kicked out of the window, landing hard against the dirty training area of the Fifth Division. As he rose to his feet, the Captain appeared in front of him, drawing his Zanpakuto as he waited.

"...I've been waiting for this moment since Captain Aizen was murdered... There won't be any mercy from me, so don't ask."

The figure chuckled as the light of the moon shone over the area, bathing them both in its brightness. Ichigo's eyes widened as the figure's chuckles suddenly became feminine, along with the front of the Arrancar's robes bulging out. Long, auburn hair trapped underneath a blue clip of light was revealed in the moon's light, and 'her' twisted brown eyes held a demented expression of sick pleasure as they gazed at Ichigo.

"...Or...Orihime...? What is...? I don't... understand...!"

'Orihime' continued to giggle silently until 'she' finally answered, "...You remember me, don't you, Ichigo?"

Upon Ichigo's stuttering, 'Orihime' tilted 'her' head as 'she' entered a thinking pose and spoke, "Well... technically, you're dead now, so this form probably doesn't mean much to you... But it's a wonder that you still remember... Her powers must have reached you even now..."

_'...This woman... she looks like Orihime, but something's off... I'd never thought that the Human that saved me would lose to someone like him...'_

"...Lemme guess... You absorb the power of the dead, right? When you absorb a soul, you take their abilities as well...?"

The 'woman' smirked and pointed at him, calling out, "Good job, _'Kurosaki-kun'_! I see you're just as intuitive as when you were alive!"

Ichigo frowned, mumbling to himself, "...When I was alive? Did I know Orihime when I was alive...? But I've been dead for over thirty years... There's no way she was that old..."

He narrowed his eyes as he tried to discover a difference with 'her', and realized that this 'Orihime's' eyes were brown instead of blue.

"...Tch, trying to fool me with false disguises... I don't know how you were really able to take Orihime's form, but I know you're not the same as the woman who saved me... But for pissing me off like that, I'll make this quick."

He held his blade into the air, and it suddenly went into his Shikai without a release. He quickly gathered the energy required and slammed it into the ground.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

'Orihime' smirked as it came closer to 'her' and an orange barrier appeared in front of 'her', dissipating the large blast before it could reach 'her'.

"You don't look too surprised, so I believe you still remember her barrier abilities... But you have no idea how far she's evolved after your death, do you?"

Ichigo frowned and hoisted his blade over his shoulder and replied, "Of course I don't! I lost my memories when I died, just like every other Soul Reaper...! Her abilities were good, but I could still take her."

"...Orihime Inoue? You believe your powers could match with Orihime Inoue's!? You're surely joking!"

Ichigo blinked as he said, "You're simply over-hyping her abilities..."

"...Really? There's a reason my Lord sent us after her... That woman... The woman whose power allowed her to reject time and space... and break down existences on her own whim..."

Behind the Arrancar, a group of Soul Reapers rushed towards 'her', with one of them screaming, "We got this one, Captain Kurosaki! Leave her to us!"

Only Ichigo noticed the orange wave coming from behind them, and shouted out, "No! Get away! YOU HAVE TO MOVE NOW!"

However, it was too late, as the building and the Soul Reapers were covered in the orange barrier. In an instant, everything broke apart, disintegrating into Reishi as they were added to the atmosphere of Soul Society. Before Ichigo had time to contemplate what had happened, the 'woman's' form rebuilt itself in front of him, and she grabbed onto his arm.

Ichigo mentally panicked as his left arm began to disintegrate before his eyes.

"...This is the power of Orihime Inoue...the woman whose power transcended far above the realm of man, into that of a goddess... The woman who allowed me to kill her so her own, overwhelming existence wouldn't threaten the lives of her husband and children."

* * *

Trivia:

-"Devi" is Sanskrit for 'female goddess.

-In this fiction, Ichigo was the first to become a Substitute Soul Reaper. Ginjo didn't garner enough Reiatsu to become one until after his death.

-Ichigo's Sealed Zanpakuto is based from of a combination of Cross of Scaffold's handle(after he attaches his badge to it) and the blade of Red Queen (From Devil May Cry 4). A review made me think that his Fullbring should have influenced his Sealed Zanpakuto as well as his Shikai and Bankai, so I decided to change it.

-Aaroniero's exaggeration of Orihime's abilities is simply her original abilities from Canon(that Aizen calls 'god-like'), which she obtained after Ichigo's death. She hasn't actually transcended into the realms of Ichigo(Mugetsu) and Aizen(Hogyoku).

-I actually meant for Aaroniero to use Aizen's form, but I realized he couldn't 'fake'-absorb Aizen and I didn't want him to be able to 'fake'-use Kyoka Suigetsu.


	11. The Highest Must Descend

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

A wise old man once said to him, "_Those who have great power must know to control their own power, and sometimes be controlled by that power. In order to truly create such a relationship, it is necessary to have a strong heart that keeps you away from being too overconfident._"

Such a phrase never meant anything to him before... Power was always in his grasp, and his potential knew no limits. There was no such thing as arrogance when none could stand before you. That had always been his belief.

_'Now look at me...'_

The only thing he could feel was undeniable pain, searing through his back as he blinked at the ceiling. He sighed, looking over to the window as he watched explosions move across Soul Society from his vantage point, and his eyes widened as he attempted to sit up in his bed.

_"If you can all hear me, please be warned! There are Arrancars in the area! The Arrancars have invaded the Seireitei!"_

He breathed in heavily as he reached across his bed for his Zanpakuto, but realized he was too wounded to do so. He simply settled for lying back in his pillow as he watched the inevitable attack on the Seireitei.

"...That bastard... I can't believe...that it would be him of all people... I can't believe...they were right..."

* * *

"...Run! Itegumo!"

The Lieutenant of the Fourth Division, Isane Kotetsu, released her Zanpakuto as she came in contact with one of the Arrancars. He was an odd fellow, wearing a tighter outfit than the other Arrancars, with a bony head-plate and a red sash.

"...Alright, Nina... If you really think you can handle me, then how about you let me try you on for size?"

As the Lieutenant moved to attack, a voice stopped her in her tracks as it stated,"...There's no time... The Invasion of the Soul Society has become a reality... Please reseal your Zanpakuto, and go assist the others in healing..."

The Arrancar and the woman turned, seeing as the Captain of the Division walked into the clearing. Upon noticing the woman's wardrobe, the man announced, "It really has been too long since I've last fought a Captain... Perhaps you could entertain me, Mi Doncella?"

The woman smiled a little and said, "You're making me blush with your words... I would feel honored to do so, mister..."

"Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio, at you service."

The woman's face slightly darkened as she finished, "Yes... Mister Alessandro... You're quite powerful, no? You don't seem like the other Arrancar in the area."

Dordoni grinned and entered a stance as he announced, "That's because I'm a Privaron Espada... compared to the rest of the _basura_ around here, I'm an elite."

"...Oh, really? That's interesting indeed... Many would say the same about me, but I'm too modest to accept such..."

His smirked widened as he cried out, "Then it's only fair that I provide you with my full power! Witness this, the power of an Espada! Whirl! Giral-"

He was cut off as the woman was no longer in front of him, and he felt the blood dripping from his forehead. Her voice called out from behind him, "I would have to thank you for entertaining me... That certainly was amusing... But I'm not impressed."

That was the last thing he could hear before his body split in two, covering the ground beneath him in red.

"...I thought I told you to leave, Isane?"

The silver-haired woman stared at her Captain a while longer before shaking her head and saying, "I was just... I couldn't... I couldn't turn my head away... I'm sorry for disobeying orders, Captain Unohana!"

Unohana turned on her heels and walked next to Isane, holding her shoulder and replying, "I'm not angry, Isane... However, there are some things I wish you wouldn't see... I wouldn't want to give you more nightmares."

Isane flinched backwards, saluting, "Ye-Yes ma'am!"

Unohana clicked her tongue before walking away, calling out, "I wish for you to follow me... I wish to know more about these Arrancars and Espada, and Captain Kuchiki is my only answer."

* * *

"Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!"

The Orihime-lookalike blinked as the man quickly disappeared from 'her' grasp, standing far back in his black-and-white Bankai robes. He dashed towards the pretender, intending on striking him down as soon as possible.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

A small smirk appeared on the feminine face, and an orange-barrier appeared in front of the dark blast.

"Shiten Kosshun."

Ichigo's eyes widened as the blast was enveloped by the shield's counterattack, slicing through the air back to him. He swiftly flashed to the side as the barracks behind him was destroyed. He grimaced slightly as the sounds of screaming was heard from inside.

"Oho... Struck a nerve, didn't I? That wasn't my fault, Ichigo... You were the one who attacked me first."

The Captain gripped his blade tighter and snarled, "Don't try to confuse with me with your lame ass Hollow logic!"

He charged again, colliding against another barrier as he neared the Arrancar's.

_"Ichigo? Why... why do you keep going to that place...? This... I've never known you to be so spiteful!"_

_ "...That's because you don't know me, Orihime... In reality, admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding... The "Kurosaki-kun" that you knew and wanted me to be...never existed to begin with."_

Ichigo blinked, confused by what he just witnessed, before realizing he was still locked in combat with the one reaching out to grab him. Before 'she' could, he dodged to the side and quickly moved to power up his blade.

"Kokuryu... Gatotsu!"

He glared at the impersonator with as much contempt as he could muster. The anger and rage in him contorted into more energy, and before he realized it, his technique had gotten out of control.

"What the hell!? I can't... I can't stop it!"

* * *

"...Did you hear the announcement, Father?"

In the showers of his laboratory, Mayuri Kurotsuchi of the Twelfth Division stood naked as his daughter and Lieutenant, Nemu Kurotsuchi, held his outfit and Zanpakuto. He stared down at his feet and spat, "Yes, I heard it."

"What will you do?"

Golden eyes pierced through the steamy waters into her own jade ones as he replied, "I'm not interested."

She knew she should have stopped there, but her eyes, instead, slightly narrowed as she insisted, "But you promised... You can't break a promise, regardless of his status."

"...Says who...? I do what I wish... And I have wished to not involve myself."

Nemu frowned and continued, "But the boy's Reiatsu is changing... Even you can feel it from this distance, Lord Mayuri. That means it's started...and you have promised."

The shower switched off as Mayuri stepped outside of it, clearly annoyed as he stared at his defiant daughter.

"...For this one time, I won't punish you for your insolence. Bug me again, and I shall have to reprogram you, got it?"

* * *

The black energy began coursing all around him, merging itself with his haori and Shihakusho as he was covered in black Reiatsu. His own Zanpakuto had merged with it, embracing Ichigo in a gigantic mass of flickering, dark flame-like covering.

_'What...!? This form! From this girl's memories, this is his power before! That Fullbring! Did the barrier trigger it!?'_

Ichigo roared and swung his blade in front of him, eradicating the area with darkness. 'Orihime' jumped away as the training grounds were obliterated under his loss of control. Ichigo appeared from the darkness, his Bankai coat billowing behind him as the Reiatsu covering disappeared, along with the haori. He yelled out, "You're not getting away!" and brought his blade down on the upon the imposter.

"Tsubaki!"

Zangetsu was blocked by a razor-sharp cutting edge as Ichigo struggled to push it back.

_"I'm sorry, Orihime...I allowed the Captain to give me this power... I became a Soul Reaper...so people like you wouldn't have to cry anymore."_

_ "...Ichigo... I'm not gonna cry... I'm... I'm happy you're doing this to help people... That is the Ichigo I know..."_

_ "...You don't have to lie to make me feel better, Orihime. I already know you disapprove of me..."_

_ "...I can never hate you, Ichigo. No matter what happens, I'll always be here for you... And one day, I'll be the one to show you the light to happiness... I'll open your eyes, and allow you to see world for what it is..."_

_ 'Why is this happening!? These voices... What the hell are they!?'_

The blade zipped through Ichigo's guard, slicing through him and knocking him to the ground. The Arrancar panted, as the memories had been appearing to 'her' as well.

"...Is she trying to send him a message through me?"

Through the dust and smoke, a blade pierced through it clearly, aiming for the enemy's throat. The Arrancar managed to dodge it by rolling to the side, but Ichigo was hounding 'her' every move. The Arrancar withdrew 'her' glove, revealing the disgusting maw beneath it as 'she' shouted, "Devour him! Glotoneria!"

Ichigo rebounded from the being as 'she' bloated, with her lower body becoming a large tentacle blob, with mouths covering its body. The feminine head faded away, revealing a jar case containing two heads in it.

"Screw that woman! I am Aaroniero Arruruerie, the Noveno Espada of the Arrancar Army! I will not lose to such trash! I will evolve into a higher being after devouring you, Ichigo Kurosaki!"

_"...Or-Orihime...?"_

_ "...In the end... I still think of you as my hero from those long years ago. Being with you for this time... It will always be like my favorite dream. I know you hate us... You feel like you're alone... So I'll accept your hatred... because I still love you. No matter how far you may fall...these blood-soaked lips will always speak of the infinite love they hold for you..."_

"GGGGGRRRRAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!"

Aaroniero flinched away as a large explosion resonated from Ichigo's position. His dilated, brown eyes stared blankly into the air as his hair grew longer and darker, and most of his clothing had been torn away, leaving him with a single sleeve and his torn hakama. Tensa Zangetsu's blade began disintegrating, leaving him with only a handle guard. He slashed randomly at the air, and a sudden name triggered in his mind.

"Fugetsu!"

The Espada did not even feel the blast as it ravaged his form, which simply evaporated him upon his last thoughts.

_'She... She knew... She knew about me, and my lord... She just used me...to pass him a message...to awaken something...to simply see him one last time through her own eyes...'_

Ichigo breathed in heavily as he woke himself from his stupor. He gazed down at his tattered clothing, and watched as black locks fell to the ground. In a panic, he reached for a lock of his own hair, confirming that it was still orange as he looked around the clearing. He reached over for Zangetsu, which had returned to its sealed form, and placed it on his back.

"Captain Kurosaki!"

He twisted on his heel as a member of the Fourth Division charged full speed to his position. He grunted as the Soul Reaper began healing him, and thought back to the visions.

_'...Orihime...? Did I... really know you before? Did you save me...for that reason?'_

* * *

"My, my... It seems to be starting soon... What do you think we should do, Kaname?"

Both Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen resided on the Sokyoku Hill as they watched the ensuing destruction. Tosen frowned and commented, "It seems the Privaron Espada have failed... And Aaroniero as well... I'm going to deal with Kurosaki, and then we'll leave afterwards... Maybe you should take care of the witness in the Medical Ward, so we can leave without trouble."

Gin smirked and stated, "Nah... There's a girl I need to talk to...she's been quite..._interested_... in what I have to say..."

Tosen visibly blanched as Gin smirked, and commented, "I don't wish to hear about your perverseness, Gin."

Gin frowned and retorted, "...You're just mad 'cause you can't get no vag-"

"Gin!"

The silver-haired man laughed and said, "Captain Unohana's with him... I don't want to fight her, of all people... I'll leave Ichigo to you... Don't kill him, though... I'm sure Aizen wouldn't want his favorite toy to die."

The dark-skinned Captain frowned as the prankster disappeared, leaving him alone as he watched Ichigo receive his healing.

"...Favorite toy, huh?"

* * *

Momo Hinamori ordered a group of new recruits into a set of barracks. As she did so, she felt the Reiatsu of that Arrancar disappear.

_'So Ichigo won... That's good...'_

"Gee... That guy's pretty strong, ain't he? That Captain Kurosaki..."

Momo tensed up as the haunting voice of Gin Ichimaru called out from behind her. She turned on her heels towards Gin as he walked up to her.

"...Why are you not fighting, Captain Ichimaru...?"

Gin looked back to her after gazing at the destruction and said, "What if I were to tell you... that I know who started this...? The leader behind the Arrancars? Would you believe me?"

* * *

"...Byakuya Kuchiki... I'm surprised you were already awake..."

The Captain of the Sixth Division turned to Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Isane as they entered his room. Her face appeared blank as she stopped at the foot of his bed. The Lieutenant moved to his side and began healing him as he spoke, "...I've been awake since the announcement..."

Unohana nodded and then stated, "That's good... Your healing is coming along fine... However, I'm afraid I'm not here for chatting. You see, I understand you were attacked by an Arrancar, and the Zanpakuto wound on your back should have been proof of that..."

Byakuya sighed, as he realized she had finally found out.

"...You've discovered that the wound was not struck with the intention of killing, but with the intention of putting me out of commission... That a Soul Reaper was responsible for my wounds and subsequent hospitalization."

Unohana raised an eyebrow and stated, "You were waiting for me to discover it while you were unconscious, weren't you? I'm sorry, but I didn't want to act without speaking with you first. Was I too late?"

Byakuya grimaced as he stood to his feet, slowly as he reached for his clothing and Zanpakuto. After quickly dressing, he said to his fellow Captain, "I haven't an idea... but I know who is responsible, along with his allies."

* * *

Ichigo was left in complete shock after the events that had conspired. He was being healed by a random member of the Fourth Division until he felt blood splatter on his back and turned as he saw the fallen form of the Soul Reaper, and the Captain of the Ninth Division behind him.

"Ca-Captain Tosen!? What the hell just- Did you do that!?"

The stern Captain said nothing as he continued to march slowly towards Ichigo, who stood up with his Zanpakuto drawn.

"...Ichigo Kurosaki... I really hold no ill feelings against you... You were quite an admirable person, but the show's over for you."

The other Captain's thumb pushed against his Zanpakuto, causing it to click as he stated, "Cry... Suzumushi."

A loud, high-pitched wailing sound invaded Ichigo's ears, sending him into unconsciousness.

* * *

Ichigo crashed faced first into the hard tiled floor, groaning as he did so. He heard voices, with one of them sounding familiar to him.

"...Tch, Kaname! Nobody asked for the corpse of the girl! She wasn't important at all!"

"It was in the way when I used Sentan Hakuja, so I simply brought it along. Now keep quiet, Gin."

"I really wish you two would get along and stop fighting..."

The last voice woke Ichigo from his momentary sleep, and his eyes fluttered open. He stared all around him as he realized he was in a large room, mostly brown in appearance.

"...Your loud noises roused him from his slumber... I didn't want a confrontation over this, but it seems we have no choice."

Ichigo pointed out both Tosen and Gin, standing there as they watched him, but the third, however, was still hidden in the shadows. His footsteps continued along the tiles as they stepped in front of the fallen Captain. As he looked up among the Soul Reaper's robes, his eyes widened in disbelief as they made contact with the man before him.

"...Yo... It's been a while, hasn't it, Ichigo?"

His mouth ran dry as he stared into the face of the former Captain of Squad Five, and the man, who until a few seconds ago, Ichigo believed was dead.

"Captain... Aizen...?"

The older man chuckled as he leaned over to pat Ichigo on the head, retorting, "Nah... That's not my position anymore... You've taken over, haven't you? I did send my recommendation before the mission started."

Ichigo could do nothing but stare at the man as he straightened back up, continuing to gaze down at him with his classic smile.

"...How are you...?"

The man finished, "Still alive? Well... I never died..."

He held in his hand the 'corpse' of himself, causing Ichigo's eyes to widen.

_'I...I buried it... In the Fifth Division barracks, it was buried there... I don't understand!'_

"I really didn't appreciate your burial of my Zanpakuto... I had to send someone to get it... I still have use for it, you know."

Seeing the confusion on Ichigo's face, Aizen drop the corpse and called out, "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."

The corpse fell, becoming the sealed Zanpakuto of the Captain as it stabbed itself into the ground. Ichigo gazed at it, wondering what had happened as he looked back at Aizen.

"...My Zanpakuto is an illusion-type... By witnessing it's release, you fall under the control of my Complete Hypnosis ability. I can control all of your senses... To you, I can make a fly seem as a dragon, and a swamp a patch of flowers..."

Ichigo closed his eyes, holding back his anger as he asked, "Why... Why would you lie to Momo like that? Why would you pretend to be dead? For what purpose...?"

"...Why would I lie to you all? For my own evolution, Ichigo... For my beginnings to sprout, I have to abandon the dirty soil beneath me."

Ichigo growled and punched the ground beneath as he stood to his feet and shouted, "What beginnings!? Stop speaking in circles! I don't have time for this!"

Aizen raised an eyebrow as he repeated, "Time? Time for what? To save Soul Society from my Arrancar? I'm the obstacle in your way, Ichigo. I'm the one you need to stop in order to halt the attack."

The current Captain scowled in disbelief and stated, "So... You're the one? That Hollow attack in the Rukon District...that Hollow in the Human World... Was that all your doing!?"

"...Maybe."

Ichigo growled and reached over his shoulder for his Zanpakuto.

"...You're not the Captain Aizen that I trusted... Who Momo nearly gave up her life for... The man who taught me how to become a Soul Reaper is not the man in front of me! I don't know what kind of liar you're supposed to be, but I'm not accepting your bullshit!"

Aizen smirked as his glasses reflected from the light, hiding his eyes.

"Trusted? Trusting in someone is the same as depending on them. That is something the weak do. People like me and you...we have no use for it."

Ichigo slammed his Zanpakuto on the tiles and dragged it as he ran towards the traitorous liar in front of him.

"Getsuga Ten-"

He was cut off, literally, as his right arm was separated from his body, sending it and his Zanpakuto flying as he slid along the ground, stopping at Aizen's feet after leaving behind a trail of blood.

"That would have alerted everyone to my hiding spot... I have things to take care of before that shoulder happen... Tosen, retrieve it."

The dark-skinned man nodded and reached over to Ichigo's body, snapping the charm from his neck. Both he, Gin, and even Aizen himself were stunned as they stared at it.

"...Um... Tosen... I don't think there's a charm on it."

The man growled, "I know that Gin," and reached down to grab Ichigo's collar, pulling him to his face as he said, " Boy, what have you-"

Aizen frowned and sighed, "So they've acted... That makes things a lot harder than they should be... And they're here."

Suddenly, a group of large Reiatsu signatures crashed through various entrances. Ichigo looked up as three Captains landed in front him.

"...Mayuri Kurotsuchi... Byakuya Kuchiki...and Sui Feng... So you were the three keeping tabs on me...? Did Urahara ask you all to protect Ichigo from me...?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi, lacking his usual make-up and headdress, ruffled his blue hair as he held Aizen's gaze with his golden eyes.

"Don't mention that bastard in my presence... I don't follow his orders."

The short woman next to him agreed, "My eyes and ears only serve Lady Yoruichi. A cold wind would blow in hell before I ever take orders from Kisuke Urahara."

Gin smirked and drawled out, "So, I see Byakuya's finally left the hospital... I should have known Unohana would've stopped there before coming here... Yoruichi must have gotten to you as well..."

Aizen smirked as he said, "Be that as it may, neither one of you shall stop my evolution."

Mayuri clicked his tongue in disapproval as he countered, "You think your intellect can match mine? Sosuke Aizen, you must be mistaken. That boy," he pointed behind him to Ichigo, "...has some things I want to study... I'm not gonna give up that chance and allow you to kill him before my experiments are through. So why don't you..._go and find another subject?_"

* * *

Trivia:

-I intended for every Privaron Espada to fight, but the battles weren't very interesting, so I just kept Unohana's one-hit kill.

-"Mi doncella" means "my maiden/lady" and "Basura" is "trash" in Spanish.

-When using Kokuryu Gatotsu now, Ichigo reverts to his Second Clad-type Fullbring form.

-Fugetsu roughly translates to "Negative Moon" or "Incomplete Moon".

As it's name suggests, it's an incomplete version of The Final Getsuga Tensho and Mugetsu. The blade simply disappears and becomes the Getsuga Tensho, instead of launching the blast like normal, or him becoming the Getsuga Tensho, AKA Mugetsu. It's only just as powerful as his Full Hollowfied form (Hence the clothing being similar to it). It was set up to trigger when Orihime(Original) next saw Ichigo (Same as Hollow Ichigo triggering when she asks him to save her), which is really why she allowed herself to become absorbed by Glotoneria.


	12. The Highest Must Descend 2

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"...Captain Kuchiki...? Captain Kurotsuchi...? Captain Sui Feng..? Why are you guys-?"

Ichigo was cut off as Sui-Feng brought her elbow down on his head, sending him back to the ground before he could stand.

"Kurosaki. Your time here is done. Do not worry about this battle... As Lady Yoruichi's trusted confidant, I will protect you, as per her request."

_Sui-Feng smirked and flicked him in the forehead before walking off. Before she left the area, she called out, "...Do note...that if you ever feel the need to come back to the Second Division...there's a Lieutenant spot open for you."_

_Ichigo rubbed his head in confusion and asked, "I thought Marechiyo Omaeda was your Lieutenant?"_

_"Arrangements will be made if you ever decide to come back."_

_Ichigo scratched his head in confusion as his former Captain walked away._

_'Is that why...she tried to get me back...? When Aizen had me transferred to the Fifth Squad, she was trying to save me from this...?"_

Ichigo groaned as he was knocked back to the ground. Before he could say something, a feminine hand grabbed his shoulder, announcing, "I shall begin the healing process... Please cover us until we're finished."

The Fourth Division Captain and Lieutenant immediately began healing Ichigo's wounds. Byakuya unsheathed his Zanpakuto, followed by Mayuri doing the same.

_"Byakuya Kuchiki's... Sui-Feng's...," When he heard her name, Ichigo turned towards her, though her expression never changed. Yamamoto continued, "Gin Ichimaru... Kaname Tosen...and Mayuri Kurotsuchi..."_

_'...This Captain's position... did I ever have control of my actions...? Was I simply being manipulated in some covert warfare...?_

"...Allow Unohana to heal you, Kurosaki. Leave this to us. _Scatter, Senbonzakura._"

_Byakuya grabbed Ichigo by his shoulder as he pulled him down as another beam, green this time, flew over his head, stating, "That imbecile's fine. Worry for yourself, idiot."_

_Tossing Ichigo away, Byakuya reached for his Zanpakuto and whispered, "Scatter... Senbonzakura."_

_The third, yellow beam was blocked by a barrage of tiny, pink objects. Byakuya turned back to Ichigo and ordered, "You will cover me as I go for the kill. Let us go."_

_Ichigo stammered, "Wha-What!? What are you talking abo-?"_

_Byakuya grabbed him and pulled him away, leaving Aizen and Momo alone._

_'Captain Kuchiki as well...?'_

Activating his Shikai, Byakuya allowed the pink blades to scatter across the field. The traitorous Captains jumped back as the ground beneath them exploded into dust. However, the blades continued to pursue them, and there as a loud shout of, "Shunsogeki!"

A trail of rapid slashes created a path through the blades towards Byakuya, who quickly reverted it back to its sealed form and blocked Gin's rapid strike.

"...Heh, I've always wanted to see what it would be like to fight you..."

Gin lifted from Senbonzakura and swung Shinso over his head, which Byakuaya flashed away from at the last instant.

Tosen watched as their battle was moved outside of the Central Fourty-Six chambers. Preoccupied with it, he almost didn't sense Sui-Feng's strike out of the corner of his eye. Ducking underneath, he lifted his leg up to kick her, though she flipped over it and brought her heel down on his head, sending him skidding along the ground.

"Suzumushi Nishiki! Benihiko!"

Sui-Feng swung her leg out in arc, calling out, "Anken!" and sending a barrage of small, black blades towards Tosen. At the same time, the man moved his blade in an arc, ringing its bell and separating it into hundreds of blades and sending them towards her. The blades clanged together in the middle of the air, and as they fell to the ground, the two Captains met in the air. After a slight struggle with their Zanpakuto, Sui-Feng ducked under him and flipped, kicking him up towards the air.

Aizen watched as they moved their battles outside and smirked.

"...So they just wanted room for their Bankai... I guess that leaves you and me, Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Do you really believe that your intellect surpasses mine?"

Mayuri smirked as he held his blade out and said, "That's a theory I'm willing to test. Hado Number Sixty-Three! Raikoho!"

Aizen smiled and moved to the side as the searing thunder moved beside him. Feinting back as another came his way, he moved in closer to Mayuri and slashed at him with Kyoka Suigetsu. The scientist wordlessly created a barrier, which stopped him before he could attack.

"Hado Number Fifty Four, Haien."

Aizen took the air as the wave of flames exploded beneath him, and commented, "Urahara must have told you all about me... I see you're performing techniques that cover a large area, just in case I happen to be behind you... That's pretty intuitive, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, to come up with that."

"I told you... You and I are not on the same level. Illusions and trickery are what defines science until it is brought to the light and discovered. That's what makes science a reality... If you think I'm going to lose to you, you better get real. _Rip, Ashisogi Jizo_."

The blade in Mayuri's hand glowed red as a crying sound was emitted from it. The blade transformed in a golden, deformed trident with a depiction of an infant on its side.

"This is your Shikai? It's very...fitting."

Aizen looked over his shoulder as Mayuri appeared behind him, Ashisogi Jizo aimed at his throat.

"So where are you really hiding, Sosuke Aizen?"

* * *

"Man, these blades are really persistent! You should slow down, at least not to agitate your wounds, Byakuya Kuchiki!"

Byakuya ignored him as he directed his Shikai towards the silver-haired prankster who jumped across the nearby rooftops to dodge Senbonzakura's strikes. Gin suddenly fell as a roof collapsed under him, and he fell towards the ground. As he lifted from the gravel, a foot stepped next to his face, causing him to gaze into the cold, gray eyes of the Sixth Division Captain.

"...Oh, snap... You're pretty serious about this, huh? Well then... Rain, Yarisazame!"

The Kuchiki Head looked up as a hail of steel came down upon him, and he swiftly moved his handle towards the spears, allowing his Senbonzakura to block them. Gin rose to a crouching position with his fingers pointed towards Byakuya.

"Bakudo Number Four! Hainawa!

Preoccupied with the spears above him, Byakuya wasn't able to block the golden rope as it wrapped around him. Gin laughed as he took a step back, his blade preparing to lunge forward from his hand.

"Nah-uh, Byakuya. I want you to be completely still when I use this... _Shoot him dead, Shinso._"

The blade extended, and Byakuya's eyes twitched as his chest was pierced by the Zanpakuto. It retracted back, causing him to fall to his knees as his wounds were reopened. Gin smirked as he stared down at Byakuya, waving at him.

"Bye-bye, now, Captain Kuchiki. Too bad you couldn't play a little while longer."

The body collapsed onto the ground as Gin began walking forward. However, the body completely disappeared, leaving behind strands of dark hair and blood that flowed along the ground. Gin's usually closed sockets widened as he looked around for the body.

"What!? Where'd you go!?"

Suddenly, a voice whispered behind him, "Way of Onmitsu, Third of the Shiho. Utsusemi."

Gin quickly turned on his feet as Byakuya stood behind him, and receive a large slash on his chest. He began stumbling back, holding his chest as he maintained a distance from Byakuya. He looked down at his bloody hand before looking back at the other man and asking, "Where'd...Where'd ya learn that one, Byakuya?"

"... As sad as it is to use a technique from that cursed wench, I'll have to thank her one day... Do note that no matter how fast your blade may move, my steps are that much faster. You will never catch me."

Gin chuckled as he stood back up and said, "I forgot about your speed... You're really fast... I guess I'll have to put everything into my Flash Steps to keep up, huh?"

"It doesn't not matter. You will not catch me off guard ever again... This shall end it all, Gin Ichimaru..._ Bankai..._"

Byakuya quickly dropped his blade into the ground, watching it sink into the gravel as thousands of large blades rose from the ground.

"_...Scatter, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."_

"Shit."

* * *

"It seems your blindness has given you a great defense, Captain Tosen."

Tosen grunted as he ducked another blow from Suzumebachi. As he moved to the ground, he attempted to sweep under her. She jumped and spun in the air, kicking him back against the balcony railing. The man sighed as he stood up, dusting his clothing off and complimented, "...I've severely underestimated you, Captain Feng... I've always believed your anger to be misplaced... Your skills mock my understanding of you."

"Damn right."

Tosen threw his arm up to block her next kick, and hopped onto the railing when her Suzumebachi followed. Grabbing his blade and ringing the bell-end, he jumped back and yelled, "Suzumushi Sanshiki! Shougekiha!"

He swung his blade, unleashing a full shockwave blast towards the Onmitsukido Commander. In response, Sui-Feng hopped into the air as the balcony exploded beneath her.

"That's a new one...! I've studied all of your techniques, but that one was never reported!"

Tosen kept quiet as Sui-Feng swiftly moved towards him with her gauntlet blade outstretched. The man placed Suzumushi in front of him to block, and the Zanpakuto collided in the air.

"...Suzumushi Yonshiki, Hando."

Tosen's thumb rung the ring on the side of Suzumushi's handle, and the blade began glowing with Reiatsu as he knocked Sui-Feng away. She skidded across the air and stared at the empowered Suzumushi.

_'The hell? He tossed me away like it was nothing! Did his strength increase?'_

Seeing the confused look on her face, he elaborated, "Suzumushi's techniques are all related to its ring. By ringing, I can perform over a hundred different techniques with it... Suzumushi Hando is a technique that keeps the blade in constant vibration, increasing its cutting and power."

Sui-Feng's eyes widened, and Tosen commented, "By the jump in your Reiatsu, I see you've understood my meaning... Hando also possess another ability... The blade is in constant vibration... That means..."

He simply waved his sword in an arc, sending thousands of blades towards Sui-Feng's position, and she barely dodged it and landed on a nearby tree.

"...that using my techniques without incantations are still just as powerful with them... It allows me to perform much faster, and allow me to keep up with the speed of the Onmitsu Commander."

At the last part, Sui-Feng openly laughed out loud as she taunted, "Keep up with me? Get real!"

One Sui-Feng began multiplying into additional, and soon, Tosen was surrounded by a hundred clones. Tosen's surprised showed on his face.

_'These clones... I could have understood if the clones depended on my visibility... That's not a weakness to me... These clones... separated her Reiatsu considerably... These clones were designed for people like me... Or rather, these clones were made for me.'_

"Hmph. That won't change a thing. Your technique will fall in the name of my justice. _Bankai."_

* * *

"_...Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo._"

Luckily for Ichigo, Unohana and Isane had moved him outside of the room as Mayuri released his Bankai. The large, grotesque baby, complete with caterpillar legs, a red cape, and a halo, began spewing poison all over the room.

"...Regardless of Kyoka Suigetsu's illusion properties, you can't escape my poison... If you're not even here, then you also can't come within my range... Like I said...my intellect has transcended far beyond anything you could comprehend."

The brown-haired man smirked as he jested, "Oh, really? Your Bankai is impressive... But you're right about one thing, Mayuri Kurotsuchi..."

The scientist raised a blue eyebrow, holding a questioning gaze as Aizen explained, "I'm not here... To be more exact...I never was."

As the gas swiftly overwhelmed 'Aizen', the man's illusion shattered, and all of the glass shards flew towards Mayuri, capturing him with a Kido spell. The shocked man quickly looked around as he searched for Aizen, and suddenly, his Bankai exploded as it was sliced in half.

"...You might have study and experimented on far too many things, Mayuri Kurotsuchi... Far before my time... But I delved deeper... I understand far more than you, who haven't surpassed Kisuke Urahara in intellect... No matter how much you understand, you cannot defeat me... Without wasting a shred of my intelligence, I am still able to end you...Do you know why?"

Mayuri gritted his teeth as he felt Aizen's presence behind him, along with hearing the sound of his escaping footsteps.

"...It's because intellect and power are not the same thing. Even without using a hint of strategy, I can defeat you...because my power far outstrips yours... Your poison did not affect me, because my Reiatsu overpowers yours... You are beneath me in everything, Mayuri Kurotsuchi..."

Mayuri struggled to break his binds, however, froze upon the last words of Aizen.

"...Hado Number Ninety. _Kurohitsugi._"

The scientist's gaze was overloaded with darkness, and that was the last thing he witnessed.

* * *

"..._Suzumushi Tsuishiki_."

Sui-Feng stared as the rings on his blade expanded, circling around him like halos.

"...Enma Korogi, right? You're Bankai that allows you to cover the area in darkness?"

Tosen shook his head as the rings stayed in their places, hovering by him. Sui-Feng blinked as she attempted to analyze what was going on, as she was completely lost.

_'This wasn't in the reports either! Did he not... Did he not release his full Bankai!? Can one half-release a Bankai?'_

"...No one can part-way release a Bankai... This is simply a form of my Bankai... Enma Korogi is nothing more than the second form... I understand your status as Onmitsukido... Fighting in such darkness will not affect your fighting style in any way...so I will use this to combat you. Come."

Sui-Feng scowled as she attempted to discover his abilities. As she did so, she didn't sense the blade coming from behind her and was stabbed in the abdomen, much to her shock.

"...What...? How... How did you..."

Tosen withdrew the blade from her body, allowing her to descend from the sky. She was able to recover halfway and glare at him.

"...Suzumushi Tsuishiki alone is a powerful combat technique... Instead of taking away your senses all at once, I can take them away individually. The technique you witnessed was your loss of your sense of sight, as you couldn't see my blade coming from the darkness. This will be my second, though I believe it will have no use on you."

Watching as her blood absorbed into his blade, he swung again and millions of red blades came flying at her.

"Suzumushi Tsuishiki! Benihiko!"

It wasn't until they came closer that she realized, _'That...smells like blood...like death! This disgusting smell is overloading my nose!'_

The distraction was enough for her to receive wounds from a few of the blades. However, she moved away from them and was suddenly surrounded as they moved to follow her.

_'They're tracking me!?'_

Tosen sensed the explosion and commented, "...Tch... The path with the least bloodshed, huh?"

A voice called out from behind him on the balcony below, "That bullshit doesn't exist Tosen! You are going down! _Bankai_!"

He turned, feeling a large amount of Reiatsu below him. Shock graced his features as he realized, "...This...This is your Bankai?"

"I really hate using this shit... It's heavy, and I can't take wherever I want... Without my silver wrappings, I'll probably hurt myself more than I should..."

The dust and Reiatsu cleared, revealing Sui-Feng standing in her Captain's uniform. The only difference was the golden rocket launcher attached to her arm.

"Don't move. I don't wanna set this off near me... Stay right where you are... _Jakuho Raikoben!_"

Tosen quickly drew his blade, calling out, "Cry, Suzumushi Tsuishi-!" but was cut off as the explosion went off in his face, and Sui-Feng herself was sent flying back into the Central Forty-Six chambers due to the recoil. Aizen watched as she skidded past him and commented, "...You killed Tosen? I'm very much surprised... However, that leaves me unhappy. You'll have to compensate for that, of course."

The injured woman growled, "...I'd rather just kill you off next!"

However, a female voice called out, "Isane, please set Captain Feng down to rest, and perform healing on her as well as Mayuri... Criminals of your nature disgust me, Sosuke Aizen... So I'll be the one to punish you for it..."

Both Sui-Feng and Aizen turned as Unohana stepped into the door, and they both blinked as her hair had been untied, revealing the scar on her chest.

"...Captain Unohana!? What's wrong with y-?"

Aizen interrupted, "There's nothing wrong with her... She's completely normal... This is your true nature... Isn't it, Captain Unohana?"

"The sound of your voice offends me Aizen."

Aizen chuckled and reached for his Zanpakuto as he continued, "Yes... Yes, this is natural for one of your caliber, Yachiru Unohana... Or is it Kenpachi Yachiru, this time? Yes... The blade of the First Kenpachi... I would feel honored, however, to fight you, but it would take far too long to win... Other than Yamamoto...Kisuke Urahara...and Ichigo Kurosaki... You're the other of my special enemies...one of those who possess the potential to defeat me..."

"I'm flattered that you would look at me as such, but no one asked for your comments on this battle."

Both Sui-Feng and Aizen felt a large Reaistu signature being released from Unohana's position, and the Aizen next to Unohana shattered under its force.

_'...Is her Reiatsu this powerful...!? Powerful enough to shatter my illusions!?'_

"A battle between Soul Reapers is a battle of Reiatsu. I can easily overcome your silly power with my Reiatsu. This... Sosuke Aizen, is what is known as _power_."

Aizen gritted his teeth in shock and pain as his left arm was separated in an instant.

"I hope you're right handed... I opted to keep your strong hand so you can still fight... _You shall entertain me for the time being..._"

* * *

"_...Bankai... Kamishini no Yari..._"

Byakuya watched as the blade extended towards him, much faster than his Shikai. He flashed away at the last second as the Bankai stretched far into the distance, destroying a number of buildings in its path.

"Hah... You impressed? My Bankai can extend up to thirteen kilometers... Pretty cool, huh?"

Byakuya coldly interrupted, "Your Bankai only moves at the speed of sound... My blades could cross that entire distance in half the time it took your Bankai. Your speed does not surpass mine. Now watch as true power become exposed... _Tenkei... Senbonzakura Kageyoshi._"

"...Tenkei? I've never heard this one before..."

Senbonzakura Kaegyoshi's blades swiftly moved to the sky, covering most of it in a pink, cloud-like formation.

"...This is the technique I used to seek out hidden opponents... My blades cover the skies, and I can manipulate them in such a way that resembles lightning... If the sky were actually storming, I could have used it with more power, but nonetheless, this shall be enough for the likes of you."

True to his calling, at a wave of Byakuya's hand, a pink strike of lightning descended from the skies. Gin dodged it at the last second and arched his hand backwards.

"Let's go, Kamishini no Yari!"

Gin extended the blade into the sky. Before the blade could touch the pink mass, an extension of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi appeared to block it.

"You will not defeat my technique, Gin Ichimaru. You're finished.

Gin wagged his finger and commented, "Nah-uh... Watch this... Buto Renjin!"

By subsequently retracting and extending it, he dispersed the mass of pink in the sky, watching as they all swirled to defend a shocked Byakuya.

"So whatcha gonna do about that one, Byakuya? Move on to Senkei? Gokei would be quite unwise, considering you are surrounded by buildings... Tenkei was pretty surprising, I have to say... So whatcha gonna pull off next?"

Just as Gin was preparing to send his blade out, a hand grabbed Gin's shoulder, and he looked over it to see a wounded Tosen. His clothing mostly torn apart, and his visor was broken, revealing his milky white eyes.

"Man... Captain Feng kicked the shit out of you, Kaname!"

The man snarled and said, "Captain Aizen is being pressured by Unohana... We must leave immediately."

"No!"

Tosen and Gin turned towards Byakuya as he dashed towards him.

" I won't let either of you escape! Senkei! Senbonzakura Kage-"

He was cut down by an unknown blade from behind him. Shock appeared in his eyes as he fell to his knees, clutching the ground as he attempted to push himself back up.

_'...What...What just...happened...?'_

"...My... Aren't you a little late to the party, Lieutenant Hinamori?"

Byakuya watched in shock as the short-haired girl stepped past him, not paying him any mind as she walked away with Tosen and Gin.

_'Isn't that... the Lieutenant of the Fifth Division?'_

* * *

"...We're here, Captain Aizen!"

The bloody, wounded man jumped back and landed next to Tosen and Gin.

"...You're... You're alive... Captain Aizen!"

The bespectacled man jumped slightly as he turned and looked back at Momo, who ran up to his body and hugged him. He stared towards Gin and mouthed, _'Why is she here'?_

_'Cause she would do anything for her Captain Aizen!'_

Unohana's blank expression widened upon seeing Hinamori's, and her motherly gaze came back as she said, "Lieutenant Hinamori... I'm going to have to ask you to return over here, please... Move for the time being..."

"No! You all let Captain Aizen die one time... I won't let you do it again!"

A breathing, huffing voice sounded behind them, "That girl is a traitor. We don't have time for such pleasantries as keeping her alive. Kill her like the rest of them..."

They all turned as Byakuya appeared in the destroyed wall, panting as he rushed back to the chamber.

"Oh...? You can still move on those wounds? You really are fast..."

A booming voice also called out from behind him, "So it is true... You really have slain the entirety of the Central Forty-Six... You traitors to the Gotei Thirteen..."

Yamamoto appeared behind Byakuya, followed by the other Captains as they entered the room.

"...Hinamori...? Why..."

The girl turned away as the Captain of the Tenth Division, Toshiro Hitsugaya, reached out towards her and questioned, "Why!? What are you doing!"

"Hey, Aizen...! Any way you can get them bastards to move faster!? We ain't got much time left!"

Aizen gritted his teeth in anger in annoyance as he turned towards the Captains.

_'...I still didn't get that charm... Everything is ruined unless I get that charm...'_

Tosen grabbed Aizen's shoulder before he could move and said, "Please don't lose your composure, Captain Aizen... We'll have to find that charm another way... The Menos Grande will be here soon."

"Kaname! You've allied yourselves with the Arrancars!? What happened to your creed!? Your honor!?"

Tosen looked back towards the dog Captain, commenting, "I told you... I follow the path with the least bloodshed... Nothing more, nothing less."

"That doesn't make any sense!"

Toshiro had long gotten tired of them and rushed towards them with the intent of saving Hinamori. Gin slashed upwards, reflecting his attack and sending him to the ground. Momo sadly watched Toshiro until a hand grabbed her ankle, and she turned back to the stared into the solemn eyes of Ichigo.

"...Why...? No... I won't ask you why... I already know the answer to that... I'll ask you... Is this what you really want...?"

She stared down at him a while longer before kicking his hand away and screaming, "This is my future, Ichigo...! Accept it...! The next time I see you, I'll kill you with my bare hands for allowing Captain Aizen to die!"

As she said that, a golden barrier separated the two, and Yamamoto ordered Toshiro to cease his attack.

"That Negaccion... They are in another dimension, now... The Hollows have captured them."

Ichigo watched as Momo rose into the air, barely registering her last words to him before he passed out.

_"...I'm sorry, Ichigo... I really didn't want to hurt you...But I have to do this..."_

* * *

"Sui-Feng has already sent me the message... They've escaped, but Ichigo was not taken with them... The operation was a success."

Kisuke nodded as he fumbled around with the charm that Sui-Feng stole from Ichigo. He clasped it in his grasp and he turned to Yoruichi and said, "...Now it's best we get to him and explain things... No doubt he's frustrated and angry... We must rescue him from the dark."

A voice called out from the front of the store and asked, "...When are you leaving?"

The two exiled Soul Reapers turned as Orihime, Ginjo, and Uryu stood outside, with the latter pushing his glasses further upon his nose.

"...Orihime? What are you all doing here?"

The woman replied, "I came here to ask you about something... But if you're going to see Ichigo, then you're taking me with you."

* * *

Trivia:

-"Suzumushi Sanshiki: Shougekiha" is translated to "Bell Cricket Third Movement: Shockwave". It's basically a Getsuga Tensho he creates by ringing his bell.

-"Suzumushi Yonshiki: Hando" is translated to "Bell Cricket Fourth Movement: Recoil". This concept is based from Squall Leonhart's Gunblade (Final Fantasy VIII), by which ringing the bell increases the power of his blade. By doing the ringing right before impact, it can become stronger.

-Suzumushi Tsuishiki in it's original state has techniques that deal with senses.

The first unnamed technique dealt with sight.

Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Benihiko is basically Inuyasha's Blades of Blood. The attack overloads enemies with the smell of a battlefield, causing those who are sick by it to become slightly distracted.

Cry, Suzumushi Tsuishiki is the same as the original technique, except it actually creates a shield.

I figured that Suzumushi could do a lot more with its ring than what was presented, so I added more techniques to it.

-"Tenkei: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi" is translated to "Heavenscape: Vibrant Display of a Thousand Cherry Blossoms". This simply moves all of his blades to the sky, allowing him to strike down all foes overshadowed by the pink mass of blades in the form of pink lightning.


	13. Countdown to Despair

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"...There's no way in hell are we gonna get to Kurosaki... If we ever go back to Soul Society, we're dead. And both of your little accomplices are well-known criminals of the Seireitei..."

Orihime blinked and turned towards the back of the shop. A blonde man with back-length hair and asymmetrical bangs stepped into the room. His white trench coat over his black dress shirt and pants flowed as he stepped through, along with his tie.

"...Who are you?"

The man's teeth showed through his lazy expression, and he replied, "Me? I'm Shinji Hirako... You could say I'm an...an ally of Ichigo Kurosaki's... At least through Urahara here."

"...Yes... We're not going to Ichigo, now... He's still in critical condition from his wounds he received from Aizen."

Ginjo expression changed into one of shock as he asked, "Aizen? That bastard got to him?"

"...Aizen's had his grasp on him since he caused his transfer years ago... Luckily, Sui-Feng's team was able to react quickly, and Ichigo, along with his charm, was safe."

As he said that, Orihime looked down at the charm that Kisuke was twirling around his index finger. Uryu was quick to note, "I can't believe he's still holding on to that..."

"...I made sure to take it from his body and allow Sui-Feng to give it to him... He thinks it's from her."

After staring at it for a while longer, Orihime called out, "A Quincy charm? Why does he have a Quincy charm?"

Kisuke and Yoruichi both looked towards her, and a voice called out, "Because his mother was a Quincy."

"...Glad you could make it, Isshin."

Orihime, Uryu, and Ginjo turned as a dark-haired man with unkempt stubble wandered into the room. He wore a Soul Reaper uniform, though it had a pauldron with a white, cape-like object. Upon closer realization, Orihime noted that it was a Captain's haori.

The man scowled upon seeing Ginjo in the room, who did the same back to him. He simply walked past him and sat next to Shinji as he looked to Uryu.

"...Is this your daughter?"

Upon the man's nod, Isshin chuckled, stating, "She looks just like her..."

"...Funnily enough, she was also the one who ran into Kurosaki when he had his mission here."

The man blinked as he stared at Orihime, who looked at him and frowned.

"What the hell are you staring at, goat face?"

Isshin stared at her for a few moments before chuckling, which turned into full-blown laughter, much to the girl's confusion.

"You sure she's yours, Ishida!? That definitely doesn't sound like it!"

The stern-faced man glared as he said, "Of course she's mine, idiot."

"...Who are you? You're not... How do you know about me?"

The smirked and asked, "Shouldn't you know about me? I'm sure if Ginjo and Uryu here has told you stories about Ichigo, I should have at least been in one. Or maybe... Maybe they've omitted my name, and simply referred to me as Isshin Kurosaki, Ichigo's father?"

* * *

"Captain Mayuri has been stabilized... Captain Kuchiki's wounds are not serious, though his old ones have reopened. Captain Kurosaki's fine, though I slightly fear for his emotional state... They might not be ready to perform their Captain's duties today... It'll be a few days before they are able to."

Unohana read from the list of injuries to Head-Capatain Yamamoto during the Captain's meeting. After she was finished, she stood back in line, and Yamamoto retorted, "Then make sure they become well enough for such tasks... If our former Captain's have allied themselves with the Arrancar, then we need to be at full strength before the next attack... You are all dismissed."

* * *

Sui-Feng stared at the back of Ichigo's spiky hair as he rested his face in his hands. She walked up to him in his Division barracks, sitting directly next to him.

"...Kurosaki."

Upon hearing his former Captain's voice, Ichigo mumbled, "I don't really want to talk right now..."

"...Well, I'm here to talk anyway. You're not going to sit here and mope forever. That's something you picked up from Aizen's sissy division, cause I definitely didn't teach you that."

The Fifth Division Captain simply sat there with no response. After a while, Sui-Feng spoke, "Do you wish to know about Aizen...? About why he's after you, and what he plans?"

"...Not really... I don't care anymore..."

The woman looked down at her nails and replied, "I'm going to tell you anyway... Aizen's been after you since they day he met you as a human... You were born with special circumstances..."

At that information, Ichigo's head rose from his hands as he stared at Sui-Feng. The woman stared forward as she continued, "...You were a Quincy... a Fullbringer... and a Soul Reaper in one complete being...containing the Reiatsu of all four races... Only your Soul Reaper powers laid dormant, and inaccessible. Aizen attempted to remedy that by transferring his Soul Reaper powers onto you..."

"...You all...knew about me as a human...?"

Sui-Feng frowned and looked down at her own knees as she replied, "Kurosaki... Everything you've done... Becoming a Soul Reaper...your death...rising so quickly through the Gotei Thirteen's ranks... All of that has been staged by either Aizen...or my master's friend..."

Ichigo smiled without humor as he mumbled, "...So even my Captaincy isn't real, huh?"

She stared at him out of the corner of her eye and replied, "Yes. You are the key to Aizen's defeat, because you hold a power no one else contains. So every action by you has been monitored."

Ichigo stared at her and asked, "A power...no one else contains?"

"Your death was special, you see... Your Human remains died... but your soul was ejected from your Human body before that happened... You are a soul trapped in-between the living realm and the spiritual realm... That makes you more frightening to Aizen than any other Soul Reaper... You are still a Substitute Soul Reaper... You hold his own power... Or at least, his power has combined with yours. You are his greatest fear because his Kyoka Suigetsu holds no bearing over you."

Ichigo's eyes gazed over to his Zanpakuto laying next to him, "...His own power? When he transferred his power to me, I became a Substitue Soul Reaper... But I watched him use it..."

"And you saw both the illusion and himself... You're the only one who can see through his illusions. That makes you the perfect weapon against him, and that's why he and Kisuke Urahara are locked in a Cold War...each trying to obtain the strongest weapon... Yourself."

Ichigo looked out to the distance, where members of his Squad were rebuilding the barracks. He asked, "...So why did Aizen betray us? What is he after by allying himself with the Arrancars?"

"...Allying himself? He is the creator and master of them... They are nothing more than his experiments and military while searches for a way to become like you."

Ichigo blinked and moved to respond before Sui-Feng interrupted with, "As in, the powers your human body has... The ability to maintain the powers of a Human, a Hollow, a Quincy, and a Soul Reaper... That's what he's really after... Aizen wants to transcend above all, and erase the Soul King from his position. That's Aizen's goal, and he needs your body to do so..."

"...But the crest?"

Sui-Feng waved him off as she replied, "That thing has the powers of a Quincy, but he only wanted it to empower his Arrancar army... Nothing more, nothing less... Your body is what he really wants."

"...That sounds way too weird... Just say he's after my Gigai."

The woman giggled, much to Ichigo's shock, as she stood up and replied, "That sounded normal enough, coming from you. It seems you understand?"

"...Not really... I can tell you only told me the bare minimum... Am I going to have to find this... Kisuke Urahara myself?"

She turned away and began to walk off as she called out, "...When the time comes... Soon, the war will be taken to the Human World, and that's where you'll probably meet him... Now stop moping and get back on your feet... You're gonna have to find another Lieutenant soon enough, and you can't leave your Division hanging..."

Ichigo watched as she walked off, and turned back to where his subordinates had listened in. Upon realizing they had been discovered, they rushed away in fear. Ichigo stood up, chuckling as he walked away in the opposite direction.

* * *

"No."

Rangiku Matsumoto, Lieutenant of the Tenth Division, dropped her jaws as Ichigo stared blankly at her. She slammed her hands on his desk and yelled, "Why not!?"

"...Because I'm lazy, and you're lazy... That match up is trouble in the making... I need a Lieutenant who can do paperwork, not one who'll fall asleep on me."

Matsumoto frowned until a sly smirk appeared on her face. She peeked out to her left and right before Ichigo interrupted, "No amount of seduction will convince me. Any lap dances, and or sexual tension relievers, will be on your own free time, and it will not affect my decision of accepting your Lieutenant application."

The busty woman groaned in frustration before sitting on his desk and crossing her arms. Ichigo sipped at his drink before blinking at her and calling out, "Did Rukia send you here to check on me? There's no way you'd just abandon Toshiro like that..."

She jumped as she'd been discovered and sighed, revealing, "Ah, you caught me... Rukia and I were just trying to see if you were alright... And she wanted me to make sure you picked a good Lieutenant to watch over you... I thought she would have sent you a note..."

"Rukia? There's no way her brother would let Rukia become my Lieutenant... He already denied me when I asked him in the hospital..."

_Ichigo stood at the foot of Byakuya's bed as he yelled out, "...I want to ask Rukia to become my Lieutenant! Can she become a part of my Division!?"_

_The Sixth Division Captain stared blankly at him and replied, "Hell no."_

Matsumoto's lips pouted as she thought to herself and asked, "What about Ikkaku? Or maybe Shuhei? Kira would be great as well.."

"...There's no way in hell that I'm going to allow that bastard in my division... He's busy trying to surpass Captain Zaraki anyway... And last I heard, Shuhei is being promoted to replace Tosen... His Bankai testing is today, as far as I'm concerned. And I think the Third Division Captain's being selected as we're speaking."

Matsumoto blinked and exasperated, "Gosh, they never tell us Lieutenants anything! I didn't know that...," though her face fell as she pitifully asked, "So they're...they're finally replacing Gin, huh?"

Ichigo noticed her expression, but continued with, "...Yeah... That mafia lookin' guy from the Seventh Division... Iba, or something? Apparently, his mother was the Lieutenant of that Division, so she forced him to take up the Captain's position..."

Matsumoto solemnly gazed down at her feet. As she stood to her feet, Ichigo called out, "Don't worry about Ichimaru... I promise I'll bring him b-"

"Ichigo... Don't make promises you can't keep, idiot... If he's gone with a traitor... Then the only way he's coming back is in a body bag..."

* * *

"...Captain Ukitake?"

Ichigo paused as he nearly ran into the older Captain, as the man practically appeared in his face.

"Captain Kurosaki! I've looked all over for you! I went to your barracks, thinking you were moping, and then I went to the Sixth and Eleventh Division barracks, thinking you were with your friends, and then I went to the Secon-!"

Ukitake's incessant rambling suddenly halted as he began coughing up a storm. Worriedly, Ichigo moved to him and patted his back as the older man tried to wave him off.

"...You shouldn't overexert yourself, Captain Ukitake...! Calm down and breathe!"

The man slightly nudged him away as he coughed, "I'm fine, I'm fine... However, I heard from Rukia that you're looking for a Lieutenant, right?"

Ichigo blinked before looking away and saying, "Not really... Thought I'd...go without one for a while... It'll teach me to be more responsible..."

"...Captain Kurosaki.. Lieutenant Hinamori is gone now, and Yamamoto is demanding the Gotei Thirteen to rebuild their strength... At least think about it?"

His gaze fell to the floor as he cursed the old man for realizing his true intentions. He shrugged and asked, "So who is it?"

"...Well, you see... Captain Kuchiki is finally letting Rukia move to the front lines, and she's going to become my Lieutenant..."

The younger Captain looked up and smiled at the revelation of Rukia moving up the ranks. He now realized why Byakuya denied him.

"That's great! I'm happy Byakuya's finally letting her go!"

Ukitake nodded and continued, "...However, I also have two Third Seat's who've been fighting for my attention for a long time...and they've been slightly unhappy since I promoted Rukia."

Ichigo frowned as he thought about the two Third Seats that were always locked in competition with one another. Knowing them, they were probably more upset at the prospect that someone else was taking care of Ukitake instead of them.

"...I allowed the Seventh Division to have Sentaro... Captain Hisagi's found someone already... Please allow Kiyone to join with your Squad, Captain Kurosaki..."

The orange-haired Captain adopted a thinking pose, though a sly smirk graced his face before he shrugged and replied, "I guess it can't hurt... If she's okay with leaving you, I'll speak to her today."

"Great! She's already at the Division waiting for you!"

Ichigo crossed his arms as he blinked, and then his eyes snapped forwards as he exasperated, "Wait, what!?"

* * *

A short woman nervously sat in the Fifth Division Office as she waited for the Captain to show. Out of habit, she grabbed part of her hair and held it to her cheek as she shivered anxiously. She held her on breath as the door opened, and she immediately went into salute.

Ichigo blinked as she stood in front of him, already moving to a respectable stance. He held up two fingers to his forehead as he waved.

"'Sup."

Her own expression visibly dropped as she stared at him incredulously, and exasperated, "'Sup!? Don't 'sup' me! I've waited here for thirty minutes!"

Ichigo blinked again, and he realized that Captain Ukitake had already sent her before he even met with him... The old man was pretty much telling him to go back to his barracks...

_'That conniving motherfu-'_

"So you're the one Captain Ukitake sent? The Third Seat?"

She furiously nodded, her golden locks bouncing up and down as she stared intensely at the other man. Ichigo glanced back her, noticing the clip in her hair, and noted that her appearance reminded him of someone, though he couldn't put his finger on it...

_'Must be someone I knew when I was alive...'_

"...Yo? Whatcha staring at?"

From his own position, Ichigo could see sparks from the constant grinding of her teeth, and he briefly wondered if she would be just as hard on him as Momo was.

"...So...?"

Ichigo's blinking seemed to be consistent, and he briefly replied, "So what?"

Her right eye twitched, and Ichigo briefly wondered if she were going to kill him. He also wondered if Ukitake did this on purpose.

"I meant the Lieutenant's position! Aren't you gonna interview me, or something!? A test!? You don't even know my name!"

Ichigo sat down in his desk and said, "Nope... You are right about that one... You probably should have introduced yourself instead of saluting."

Her fingers began twitching as she replied, "It's Kiyone... Kiyone Kotetsu."

"...Your sister's the Lieutenant of the Fourth Division, right? The really tall one with the supermodel bod-?"

He paused in his words as he watched her face glow bright red. He suddenly changed the topic and asked, "Can you turn in paperwork on time?"

"...Uh...Yes...?"

Ichigo looked suspiciously to his left. Kiyone did the same. Then he turned to his right, and she did the same again. After he narrowed his eyes, she finally exasperated, "What are we looking for!?"

"...Can you do my paperwork, too?"

Her jaws dropped as she yelled, "You're unbelievable! How the hell did you become a Captain!?"

In response, Ichigo crossed his arms and grounded out, "...Tch, stupid circumstances and manipulating bastards... Anyway, if you don't want to do it, then you can go."

She blinked and then narrowed her eyes and accused, "You're trying to discourage me from joining! Captain Ukitake said you would do such a thing! He said to stay persistent, or to tell Rukia if you're not being fair!"

_'...Uktiake, you son of a bit-'_

"...Alright... I'll stop messing around... But I'm serious about the paperwork."

* * *

"I've never been to one of these before... Are they really scary?"

Ichigo looked over his shoulder to the shorter girl and replied, "Not really. At first, I kinda was, but after a while, you just get used to it."

Ichigo continued walking, followed by a nervous Kiyone as they walked through the First Division hallway. He placed his wooden tag for his presence onto the stand before looking at the others.

"...It seems Byakuya's back... Along with Mayuri, too... I wonder if everybody's gonna be here this time?"

A voice called out from behind him, "I see you're back, Ichigo. I was wondering when you would show up..."

Ichigo turned around as another Captain entered. He had spiked, dark hair with a pair of shades on the top of his head. An orange bandana wrapped around his neck. He wore a sleeveless haori over his rolled-up Shihakusho, similar to the previous Captains. The bandages, the tattoo, and the scars were enough to give away his identity.

"...Shuhei...? So you did pass the Bankai test? That's cool."

Shuhei stared towards Ichigo and replied, "That's Captain Hisagi to you."

"...Yeah, cool, whatever... So did that Iba guy take Gin's spot? I thought his testing was that same day..."

Another deep, rumbling voice sounded from behind him, causing him and Kiyone to jump from their spots as they turned around.

"He did. I'll be proud to congratulate him when he comes through... Or not... The tab says he's already here."

Ichigo, Kiyone, and Shuhei stared completely up at the tall Captain Komamura of the Seventh Division.

"...That's right... He was your Lieutenant... And you picked-"

The younger girl was quick to scream, "Sentaro!?"

The dark-haired man with the pharaoh's beard pointed and growled, "Kiyone!?"

In the end, the two former teammates were locked in a heated glaring contest, Ichigo and Komamura both sweatdropped as the younger Captain commented, "...I thought he separated you two for this sole purpose..."

"...Such a hideous display of a reunion."

Ichigo looked over his shoulder as Yumichika Ayasegawa shook his head, and called out, "Yo, Yumichika. What are you doing here?"

Shuhei was the one to answer with, "He's my Lieutenant... I think..."

"...Two really is such an ugly number... But I noticed his desperation and decided to act on it."

Ichigo sweatdropped again, "...Lieutenants are the Second Seat, but I really don't think they call themselves that..."

"...It's still a horrible number."

Shuhei smacked himself in the face as walked away from the group, followed by Yumichika. Ichigo raised an eyebrow before turning back to his own Lieutenant, who was being held away from Sentaro Kotsubaki by Captain Komamura.

"Oi! Stop harassing Captain Komamura's Lieutenant! We got a meeting to prepare for!"

* * *

"...Ichigo's dad? I thought you would have been..."

The man began laughing as he stated, "Nope! I'm too cool to die! I gotta stay up and running for my lovely little girls!"

"...Aren't Yuzu and Karin both forty-three...with their own families?"

Isshin's head slouched over as he grumbled, "Shut up, Urahara. They still love their daddy!"

"Not really... Karin still hasn't forgiven you..."

He grumbled again as he waved away Kisuke. Orihime, however, moved closer to him and sat directly in front of him, crossing her arms and legs as she stared at him expectantly. He reared back slightly and asked, "...Yo? Whatcha starin' at?"

"...You're Ichigo's dad... If anyone here knows about him, it's you."

Isshin chuckled humorlessly as he turned his head and replied, "...He was an introvert, really... You should already know that I kicked him out of the house and he stayed with him," and he gestured over to Ginjo.

"...I'm really not just asking you... I'm kinda asking everyone, because it seems he's been a part of everyone's life... Now I'm asking to know everything about him...from his birth to his death... I want you all to tell me what you know..."

Everyone looked at each other, and then over to Uryu. He shrugged and replied, "She's too much like her damn mother... If we don't tell her anything, she's gonna run off and do something stupid again... If she really wants to help Kurosaki, then I'm not going to stop her."

Isshin then clapped his hands together and said, "I guess I'll start off..."

* * *

_My son, born in the darkness...awoke to the light of justice years ago, even if he didn't understand it..._

_ "Ichigo!"_

_ The orange-haired boy's eyes snapped open, and quickly through his hand up to catch his father's foot._

_ "No!"_

_ Ichigo growled out, "It's too late for that bullshit!" and tossed him towards the window, sending him out to land on the flower bed._

_ "Damned old man... Always attacking me..."_

_ He slowly pulled himself out of his bed and sat at the edge of his mattress. As he got out of bed, he made sure to grab the charm on his desk as he moved downstairs. Arriving at the bottom, he opened his arms as his younger sister, Yuzu Kurosaki, jumped into his while screaming, "Big Brother! You don't seem too lively this morning..."_

_ As he placed her on the ground, he replied, "It's hard to feel that way when your dad is always trying to kill me."_

_ He walked into the kitchen, deadpanning as his father protested, "I'm not trying to kill you! I'm trying to keep you on your toes...like now!"_

_ The man moved to kick Ichigo, who grabbed him and elbowed him in the face, knocking him to the ground._

_ "...I have...nothing left... to teach you, my boy..."_

_Ichigo ignored him and stepped over his body, taking his seat as he sat and ate breakfast. The twin to his younger sister, Karin Kurosaki, depressingly munched on a piece of toast._

_ "What's the matter with you?"_

_ Realizing her brother was there, Karin turned to him and mumbled, "Hey, Ichigo..."_

_ He continued to stare at her until she finally answered, "Fine! A kid from school wants me to go with him to the dance... I don't know if I wanna go."_

_ "You have to go! I want my grandchildren!"_

_ Karin growled and stomped on her father's face, who whined and crawled over to the picture of their mother while mumbling, "My children hate me, my dear Masaki...! Why must the world be so cruel...!?"_

_ After watching his old man cry to the picture of his mother, he turned back to his little sister, smirking as he stated,"...You should go, Karin.. Stop being so tomboyish... I really want to be an uncle at some point."_

_ The girl raged and punched Ichigo in the face, knocking him to the ground as she screamed, "You sound like Dad, damnit!"_

_ Ichigo pitifully grabbed the leg of Yuzu and groaned, "Why does my sister hate me...?"_

_ "Brother! Get off my leg! This is too weird!"_

_ As Yuzu shrugged him off of her foot, he rolled over in the fetal position and cried, "Why don't my sisters love me!?"_

_ Before the darkness arrived...before the horrors of the afterlife, a family lived carefree, anxiously awaiting their next days... They never knew... that the countdown to despair had begun._

* * *

Trivia:

-As stated, Ichigo was killed as a human, but his soul was ejected out before then. When Tosen performed Konso on him, he was already a Substitute Soul Reaper, so he was simply transported to the Rukon, with most of his powers, but without his memories. Because Aizen made him a Substitute with his own powers, Kyoka Suigetsu doesn't work on him, which was why...

_Seeing the confusion on Ichigo's face, Aizen drop the corpse and called out, "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."_

_The corpse fell, becoming the sealed Zanpakuto of the Captain as it stabbed itself into the ground. **Ichigo gazed at it, wondering what had happened as he looked back at Aizen.**_

...he was confused when he saw it. Aizen recognizes that he is affected by it, but Ichigo can see both the illusion and Aizen.

-Tetsuzaemon Iba's mother, Chikane Iba, was Rose Otoribashi's Lieutenant during his tenure. That's why she encouraged(forced) him to become the Third Division Captain.

-If you didn't get it, Kiyone resembles Yuzu, his younger sister. Her appearance is based off the Bleach Beach Party OVA, which you could probably see by googling Kiyone in images. She's also a reference to the fact that short, petite women (Rukia and Momo) are usually watching over him.

-Sentaro Kotsubaki's father, Jin'emon Kotsubaki, was the Lieutenant of Squad Seven when Love Aikawa was Captain.


	14. Countdown to Despair: Intervention

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach

Kill the Moonlight

Isshin spoke about his battle with Aizen's experimental Hollow, and consequently how he met Masaki Kurosaki. Something in his speech rattled Orihime's brain as it sounded familiar to her, but she ignored it as he finished up with Masaki's death and Ichigo's gaining of his Fullbring.

"...Ichigo was a good kid... He just wanted too much out of life, and always held the belief that he could change what he didn't believe was fair... I just wish I would have done something other than banish him from the clinic..."

Kisuke's hat overshadowed his eyes, and he said, "Aizen would have got to him either way... Once he gave him his powers, the only we could do was wait and see."

Orihime looked over to Urahara as he spoke, asking, "...So what happened after he was kicked out?"

"...We both ran into Urahara..."

The blonde looked over to Ginjo as the other narrowed his eyes at him, and Kisuke muttered, "Don't look at me like that... It wasn't my fault..."

Ginjo growled, "You set him up! You allowed him to get kil-!"

Before he could storm over to him, Yoruichi stood in between them as she stated, "There's no use in fighting over who was wrong or not... In the end, we're all responsible... We didn't tell him anything, and we let him do everything while he was reaching around in the dark for the truth...and Aizen took advantage of that."

"...The truth...?"

Yoruichi looked over to Urahara, who allowed his hat to cover his eyes as he stayed silent. She frowned and turned back to Orihime.

"...Ichigo...wasn't meant to die... It was an accident."

From his position, Ginjo mumbled, "It wasn't an accident. You killed him."

The woman rolled her eyes as she explained to Orihime what happened to Ichigo.

* * *

_ "...It would definitely seem like it."_

_ Both of them turned as another voice entered the clearing, which was a man in a black haori and pinstriped hat, with a green outfit underneath._

_ "Urahara? Were you watching this entire time?"_

_ The man giggled and hid his face behind his fan, chuckling, "Nope! I was just here for some ramen, and then I was looking for the restroom."_

_ "If you're gonna lie, then make up a better excuse! The ramen shop is on the other end of the town!"_

_ The man simply peeked from between his fan and hat, stating, "I think you should come with me, Ichigo Kurosaki."_

* * *

_ "So it seems Aizen has awaken your Soul Reaper Reiatsu..."_

_ Ichigo and Ginjo stared blankly at the man before he elaborated, "The Captain you saved... He... He was a former comrade back when I was still in Soul Society..."_

_ Ginjo nodded and sipped from his alcohol glass as he watched for Ichigo's reaction. The Substitute Soul Reaper's eyes widened as he slammed his fist into his palm and exclaimed, "You're a Soul Reaper as well! I forgot!"_

_ "...Um... Yeah?"_

_ Ichigo then reached over his shoulder for his Zanpakuto and asked, "Can you teach me how to use this thing?_

_ The man's eyes ducked beneath his bucket hat as he stated, "Not really... I can teach you how to fight as Soul Reaper, but I can't be your true teacher. There's only one person that can do that..."_

* * *

_ "My, my, Captain Aizen... You've given him your Reiatsu? Are you sure you're willing to part with that...?"_

_ Aizen looked over at Gin as they both sat in the Computer Terminal, watching as Ichigo destroyed the enemies in a flash. The Captain smirked at his subordinate before turning back to the screen._

_ "...Just a small price to pay to witness the abilities of a potential transcended being... It seems he's made good use of it, as he knows Shikai and Bankai now..."_

_ Gin whistled as he smirked and stated, "Man... That's impressive... In three months? How'd he manage that?"_

_ Aizen simply replied, "Kisuke Urahara has become a part of this game as well..."_

_ At that moment, Tosen had finally arrived and questioned, "Urahara? So he's after him, too... When do we retrieve him, then?"_

_ "...Soon."_

* * *

_ My name is Ichigo Kurosaki._

_ I'm eighteen years old... I used to be a student at Karakura Town, but then I graduated... I had officially moved into the Xcution building, and we began our plans to overthrow Soul Society..._

_ My friends didn't agree with me, but I had long left them behind... I needed to do what was necessary to avenge those who couldn't defend themselves...just like my mother..._

_ Mr. Urahara called me in and began teaching me about what it meant to be a Soul Reaper... At least, the basics... I had to learn from Old Man Zangetsu the rest..._

_ Now, me and Zangetsu travel Karakura Town and Naruki City, seeking out Hollows and Soul Reapers alike... Those who get in my way fall to the justice of my blade..._

* * *

_ Ichigo, still in his Soul Reaper garb, stood idly in Karakura's park as he waited. He was instructed by Kisuke to search the city for Hollows, though there were none to be found._

_ "...Well... Guess I'll make them come to me."_

_ After flaunting his Reiatsu, he patiently sat as he waited for the Hollows to come. He wasn't disappointed when monsters of all different sizes and shapes appeared, each drooling from their open mouths at the large amount of Reiatsu in the center of the field. Ichigo smirked as he hefted his blade onto his shoulder._

_ **I...will...help...you...**_

_Ichigo froze as the words appeared in his head, though his arm continued its descent. Before he knew it, a large flash of light appeared from the end of his blade, and the enemies in front of him was decimated. The crowd of Hollows began screaming, "Oh shit!"_

_ "What was that flash of light!?"_

_ "Get the fuck outta here if you wanna live!"_

_ **"What's the big idea, Ichigo!?"**_

_ The other Hollows, on pure instinct, took off from the area as they dispersed through the city. Ichigo crouched to the ground as he panted, looking down at his blade as he inquired, "...Are you...talking to me?"_

_ "Yes, I'm talking to you! The hell's the matter with you!?"_

_ Upon realization, Ichigo realized that the blade wasn't speaking to him, but the angry, dark-haired female grabbing him by his collar was the culprit._

_ "...Tatsuki? You can se-?"_

_ She dropped him back onto his feet and punch him in the jaw, sending him to the ground as he confusedly looked up at her._

_ "What was that for!?"_

_ She then kicked him in the chest as she roared, "For Orihime, you bastard! What have you...? What have you done to her!? Where the hell have you been all these months!?"_

_ Ichigo protested, "...I didn't do anything to her!" as he pushed her foot from his chest and rolled to his feet. He angrily pointed away from her and yelled, "What the hell has she told you!?"_

_ "...She hasn't said anything... However, the only thing she could say to me was 'Kurosaki'! That's enough reason for me to believe this is your fault! Not to mention Chad and Uryu have totally changed ever since you joined that gang! What have you done to everyone!?"_

_ Ichigo blinked and frowned, grounding out, "What gang...!? I haven't joined any gang, dumbass! Xcution are my friends!"_

_ "And Orihime's not!? You abandoned us for these new friends of yours!?"_

_ Ichigo moved to deny the 'abandon' comment, but closed his mouth and watched as Tatsuki moved past him, bumping against his shoulder._

_ "...You better fix this with Orihime, Ichigo. The next time I see you, I'm gonna beat you into submission...just like old times... I won't let you lose yourself to this... Whatever you've become..."_

_ He watched as she walked away, and then made his decision as he flashed away from the clearing._

* * *

_ There was a loud knock on Orihime's door that night, and she rushed to it in wild abandon._

_ "I'm coming!"_

_ She opened the door quickly, not even peeking through the door. She blinked as three, unrecognizable figures stood outside of her door. They were dressed in business suits with fedora hats on their heads._

_ "...My, my... Are you just gonna let us stand out here...or are you gonna invite us in?"_

* * *

_ Ichigo frowned as he arrived at Orihime's apartment in his human body. The door was already opened, and three figures walked out of it. As they walked down the stairs, with the one in the silver suit waving at him, he moved to Orihime's door as she walked outside._

_ "Orihime...? Who were those guys?"_

_ The girl jumped in fright and twisted on her heels as she stared directly into Ichigo's chest._

_ "Ichi-Ichigo...? What-What are you do-doing here?"_

_ Ichigo blinked as he stared down at her. He didn't know whether to immediately come out and ask about what problem she had with him, or to simply make this a normal visit._

_ "Just here to hang out... I know I haven't seen you, Chad, and Ishida in a while... I wanted to make sure you guys were okay."_

_ Orihime began visibly panicking as she looked around the complex, causing Ichigo to raise an eyebrow at her constant twitching._

_ "...You look like you've seen a ghost, Orihime... Or a dead man..."_

_ The irony in his voice caused him to mentally chuckle as he walked past her into her home. Orihime continued to look around the complex before she worriedly stepped inside after him._

* * *

_ "Eh? Tatsuki? I didn't know you were interested in the supernatural!"_

_ The girl frowned as she stared at the various objects in Urahara's store. She looked over to him and asked, "...What do you have that could increase one's spirit...ability-thingies...?"_

_ "...Spirit...ability-thingie? The hell?"_

_ Tatsuki sweatdropped as she tried to explain, "Like... What Soul Reapers...and...uhh...evil spirits have. Their powers...?"_

_ Kisuke blinked from under his hat as he elaborated, "You mean Hollows? You want to get stronger?"_

_ The teenager punched her fist as she nodded, stating, "There's a friend I know that's being quite an ass... Me and some friends are gonna teach him a lesson... I know you deal with illegal things... Don't you have some type of steroid, or something?"_

_ The man held his fan in front of his face as he denied, "Nope! Don't have anything to help you! I'm sorryyy...!"_

_ Before the girl could protest, a black cat jumped in front of her and stared directly at Kisuke._

_ "Yoruichi...?"_

_ Tatsuki jumped back in fright when the masculine voice was released from the cat's vocal chords as it stated, "Kisuke... I spotted Aizen's Reiatsu nearby... I can't pinpoint it though, but it's near Ichigo's home."_

_ "A talking cat!?"_

_ Urahara's eyes widened as he stood to his feet and retrieved the blade next to him._

_ "He's acting fast... We need to hurry! Tatsuki, wait here until I return, alright?"_

_ The girl held her hands out and screamed, "Wait! What's happening with Ichigo!?"_

_ She panicked as the man and cat disappeared from her vision. As she prepared to run out after them, she was unaware of the approaching danger behind her._

* * *

_ "...I've been to your house before, Orihime. Why are you so nervous?"_

_ Orihime continued twitching on the floor of her apartment as she looked around the room._

_ "Does it have to do with those men I saw earlier? You're okay, right?"_

_ The girl turned back to Ichigo and smiled as she announced happily, though also falsely, "I'm okay! You don't have to worry about me! Hehe!"_

_ Ichigo deadpanned as he saw right through her. He frowned and asked, "What did those guys want, anyway? I've never seen them before."_

_ However, Orihime turned around in a snap and quickly stated, "You have to go, Ichigo. You shouldn't be here."_

_ His brows furrowed as he stared at Orihime. He moved to speak, but she cut him off and repeated, "Leave. Please, for once, just listen to me... Just go."_

_ He was completely confused as he stared into her eyes and asked, "What are you talking about? I don't understa-"_

_ "Go! Before they get here!"_

_ Ichigo jumped to his feet as he yelled, "I knew those guys were trying to hurt you! Lemme take care of this!"_

_ He reached into his pocket for his glove that was given to him by Kisuke. However, as he stood to his feet, Orihime commented, "...Those men have done nothing wrong, Ichigo...! The problem is not them! Nobody's after me!"_

_ The teenager slowly turned around as he listened to Orihime. He gazed at her and asked, "What... are you talking about...?"_

_ "...Tatsuki...Uryu...Chad... It's all a trap...! They're coming here! Tatsuki led you here on purpose! You have to leave before they-"_

_ Before Ichigo could comprehend her words, a white fist with red highlights dug into his cheek and sending him through the front of Orihime's apartment, knocking him into the concrete ground._

_ Orihime jumped up, gripping the pants of the nearby person and protested, "Please don't do this! Uryu, stop it!"_

_ The bespectacled teen looked down at Orihime and shook his head as he commented, "Kurosaki doesn't learn that easily... We're going to have to kick him around a bit to remind him that we're still his friends, no matter what he does."_

_ Orihime's gripped loosened as she watched him jumped out of the window after Ichigo. She looked to her side, where a small, blue orb rested next to her sofa._

_ **If Ichigo Kurosaki ever goes out of control... If you believe he is going to truly abandon you... This... Hogyoku... This will allow you to do what is necessary...**_

* * *

_ "Uryu!? Chad!? The hell's your problem!?"_

_ Sado Yasutora and Uryu Ishida stood in front of Ichigo, with Chad clad in his Fullbring and Uryu with his bow pointed ahead._

_ "...Don't get so upset, Kurosaki... It's just a little intervention."_

_ Ichigo frowned as he dodged the barrage of arrows. He stared up into the expressionless visage of Chad as the man punched him into the ground. As he moved to punch him again, Chad was suddenly thrown away. Uryu's eyes widened and Chad's eye became visible as Ichigo stood up, his Soul Reaper robes fluttering as he stared the two down._

_**You understand, don't you, King? These fuckers are your enemy!**_

_ "...So you've finally came to this, huh...? You've decided to become my enemy...? You're gonna stand in my way!?"_

_ Uryu gritted his teeth as he grounded out, "We're not your enemies, Ichigo. You've become your own enemy... You've abandoned your friends... Your family... You've abandoned all of them for this power? The same thing you rebelled against!?"_

_**Listen to them, King! They're your enemies! Fuck them all!**_

_ Ichigo growled, "Shut up! You don't know anything! Traitorous bastards deserve to die!"_

_**...Ichigo...I...willl...help...you...**_

_"Bankai!"_

_ The parking lot exploded into dark Reiatsu. Uryu's eyes widened as a thin, black sword flashed from within the black smoke, piercing through his abdomen and sending him back into a nearby car. The sword came back to the outstretched hand as he stared at Chad._

_ "...I thought...we both made...the decision to fight for the other... Why are you fighting against me...?"_

_ The Hispanic man looked down at his feet as he slowly explained, "I'm fighting against what you've become... Xcution isn't a place to be... I know that... Your future there will lead you only to death... Revenge will be the death of them, and I don't want you to fall down with them... That's why I __fight against you... That's why Uryu fights against you... That's why Orihime and Tatsuki are worried about you... You've changed... So I will fight for you, in order to save you."_

_**Destroy them! Do it!**_

_Ichigo frowned and looked down at Tensa Zangetsu, gripping his blade tightly as he looked up to Chad._

_ "...I haven't... It's not me... It's you all... All of you changed! There's nothing wrong with me! You can all die for all I-!"_

_ He was cut off as he felt the sudden pain of his left shoulder...more specifically, the lack of it, as the arm was completely ripped away from his body._

_ "What the fu-!?"_

_ A foot planted itself in Ichigo's face, knocking him a distance away. When the dust cleared after he skid across the cement, he stared into the grinning, large-eyed mask._

_ The masked visage was attached to a feminine body dressed in tattered clothing. The figure was crouched over on all fours before standing to a hunched position. Attached to the right arm was a worm-like being, which had a scythe-like tail on the end of it._

_ Ichigo felt disgusted as he watched the Hollow munch slowly on his torn arm, allowing saliva and blood to ooze from its mouth as it watched him. The dark hair, spiky and long, flowed from the back of the skeletal mask, and revealed to him the identity of the being in front of him._

_ "Tatsuki...?"_

_ The torn arm fell from the being's mouth as it grinned largely, wailing into the air and signaling for its next meal._

* * *

Trivia:

-Isshin's speech is the same as Canon during 'Everything But the Rain' arc. I didn't want to repeat it, though.

-I didn't want to bring the Hogyoku into the story, but I found it was necessary... This also explains why it's not going to be used again soon.


	15. Countdown to Despair: Path to Justice

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

_ "Tatsuki...? What happened to you...?"_

_ The beast didn't answer as it studied his own form predator-like. She held her outstretched hand towards the ground, watching as the scythe-tail extended. The action caused smoke and dust to fly up from the sides, causing Chad and Uryu to cover their faces._

_ Ichigo's eyes narrowed as the beast growled, announcing its next move._

_ "I don't know what the hell you've done with Tatsuki... But I don't like it... Things I don't like tend to die."_

_ The Hollow roared into the sky, releasing bloody-red Reiatsu into its surroundings. After blinking to stop the flow of gravel crashing against his sockets, Ichigo looked up at her and commented, "It seems you've lost all of your senses... I'm sorry, Tatsuki... But at least I can purify you with no hesitation."_

_ Ichigo held his blade up as he gathered the energy for his special attack. As he did so, the Hollow opened its mouth, causing a dark-red orb to appear at the edge of its tongue._

_ "A Cero...?"_

_ Slamming his blade down, he sent his Getsuga Tensho towards the Hollowfied woman's attack, causing them to crash together in the middle of the parking lot. He covered his face and rose to the skies as he retreat from the Cero._

_ "I didn't expect her...to know that...! She's not even a Menos...!"_

_ As he spoke, he realized she was behind him, another Cero charged to fire. Turning around quickly, he yelled out, "I'm not gonna go down that easily! Getsuga Tensho!"_

_ The blasts connected again in the air, sending shockwaves throughout the town from the sheer force of the collision._

* * *

_ "...Aizen must have left..."_

_ Kisuke frowned at Yoruichi's words, as a part of him wasn't too sure. Isshin stood behind him as he appeared onto the scene._

_ "You think... Aizen's plans have changed?"_

_ The shop owner looked back at him and commented, "He's not interested in the Hogyoku anymore... His sights are on Ichigo now."_

_ He paused as the raging Reiatsu was felt from this distance, and the three turned around quickly._

_ "This Reiatsu! It's Ichigo...and a Hollow!?"_

_ Kisuke gritted his teeth as he stated, "And not just any Hollow... Damnit... It must have sought out Tatsuki... We have to do something before Ichigo loses to that Hollow inside of him."_

* * *

_ Ichigo grimaced as the Hollow's foot pressed into his face, sending him towards the ground. The pain, along with a face full of rocks, caused the anger to seep out from him in waves of Reiatsu. He stood to his feet as his hair darkened and lengthened. He looked down and watched as white ooze began molding itself into the shape of new hand. In response, he flexed it and stared at Tatsuki.  
_

_ "...I don't know what just happened... But I'm grateful for the arm... I'm not gonna let you run circles around me, Tatsuki. This isn't the same as when we were children!"_

_ The blade on his Zanpakuto disappeared as he swung towards Tatsuki, crying out, "Fugetsu!"_

_ The Hollowfied teenager moved to the side as the attack soared past her, destroying the entire building behind her._

_ "...Tatsuki... You shouldn't move... I don't want to involve people that have nothing to do with this."_

_ As he prepared to swing again, the Hollow slipped by him quickly, appearing behind him as it moved to attack._

_ "I'm not gonna fall for that again, Tatsuki."_

_ Ichigo twisted on his feet, allowing his Reiatsu blade to collide with the scythe-like blade of the Hollow. Frowning as the beast struggled, he pushed her away and called out, "Kuretsusen."_

_ The Hollow screamed as the shockwaves sliced through her chest, slicing up her clothes further and sending her some distance back. Ichigo looked up as Uryu flipped above him with his bow pointed directly at him._

_ "Ishida! Wrong target!"_

_ Ichigo quickly flashed to the side as the holy arrows scattered across the area he was recently in. Uryu landed on a nearby car as he looked at both Ichigo and Tatsuki, who was staring down at her wound in neanderthal-like wonder._

_ "'I can at least purify you with no hesitation'? The old 'Kurosaki' would have never said anything like that... You were aiming to kill Tatsuki twice..."_

_ The dark-haired Soul Reaper frowned and gritted his teeth as he screamed out, "She's become a Hollow, damnit! There is no cure for that but death! I won't let my friend continue this empty life! She'll be sent somewhere better than this ignorant world!"_

_ Uryu's eyes narrowed as he stared at Ichigo. A slight smirk appeared on his face as he commented, "'Ignorant world'? You sound like a Anime villain, idiot... Sadly, Ichigo, this is the Saturday where your plans come crumbling down. If you're going to abandon your best friend like that, then the 'Ichigo Kurosaki' that I knew...died a long time ago."_

_ "...I'm not some villain... I speak the truth... There's nothing but injustice in this rotten world... The losers wait on the bottom, while those on the top sit idly, watching as we struggle! You should understand me, Ishida! Have you forgotten your grandfather!?"  
_

_Uryu frowned and gritted his teeth, screaming out, "Shut the hell up, Kurosaki! Stop talking like you understand me!_

_Ichigo's visage darkened as he announced, "Sit here then... Watch as more people end up like you and me... However, I won't allow this to continue! I will become a symbol of hope...! I will place the losers at the top of the food chain!"_

_ At that moment, Chad moved closer to the battle as he stood next to Uryu. He blinked angrily as he heard Ichigo's words and called out, "'Symbol of hope'? This isn't hope, Ichigo. Throwing your friends away for this...isn't hope."_

_ Ichigo's fingers twitched as he roared into the air, "I haven't thrown anybody away! You've all abandoned me! You..."_

_ **Your friends don't believe in you...**_

_"You all left me...!"_

_ **Your family's all but abandoned you...**_

_"Everyone...!"_

_ **I bet you don't even realize that Urahara is on his way here... Let him try and stop us, King!**_

_"I'll kill all of you!"_

_ Ichigo's Reiatsu rose into unimaginable levels as the cars surrounding him exploded outward from the sheer force of it. Uryu gritted his teeth as he jumped away, and the Hollowfied Tatsuki's instincts told her to run as the power exploded outwards. Uryu jumped over a flying car and reached for his glove as he shouted, "Shit! Kurosaki's lost it! We gotta- Wait! Orihime! What are you doing!?"_

_ Orihime stumbled next to Uryu as she pushed against the powerful winds toward the epicenter of the wild storm. His eyes narrowed as he spotted a glowing blue light in her hand._

_ 'What is that...?'_

_ **That bitch is moving closer! She's scaring me! King, get rid of her!**_

_Ichigo bared his teeth as his eyes began flashing between yellow and brown, and his scelera began changing into black. He roared, "Get away from me, Orihime, unless you want to die!"_

_ Her lips began bleeding from the various cuts of the debris against her face. She moved closer to him, stopping in front of him. Ichigo stared down at her in confusion... Even now, when his menacing features should have frightened her, she never back away from him that entire time.  
_

_ "What are you doing...?" _

_ She stood in front of him, completely silent as she stared down at the object in her hand. Ichigo looked down at her and mumbled, "Or-Orihime...?"_

_ "...In the end... I still think of you as my hero from those long years ago. Being with you for this time... It will always be like my favorite dream... I know you hate us... You feel like you're alone... So I'll accept your hatred... because I still love you. No matter how far you may fall...these blood-soaked lips will always speak of the infinite love they hold for you..."_

_ Ichigo froze as his Shihakusho faded from his form, along with the Reiatsu. He stood bare in his black shirt and white pants as he stared towards Orihime in complete shock. She stared back at him with a blank expression, though he could spot the tears building up under her lashes._

_ "...What did you...?_

_ She stared at the orb in her hands and then towards him as she answered, "I've taken your Reiatsu...so you won't develop any further... I just... I don't want you all to fight anymore... Please stop fighting, Ichigo..."_

_ **I just wanted...to get stronger...to save everything... I wanted to get stronger, so no other person would suffer...the way I did when I lost my mother... I thought I could soldier on... I thought I had found a way... So I could finally protect everyone with my own strength... Have I really... put them all through so much pain? If only...**_

_** If only...**_

_"NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

_Uryu looked up in confusion as Ichigo fell to his knees, slamming his hands on the ground in front of Orihime. A rain of tears fell from his overshadowed face as he clutched the gravel.  
_

_ 'He's...crying..?'_

_ He moved to his feet, grabbing onto Orihime's shoulders. The girl flinched away in fear as he desperately shouted in her face, "Give it back! Orihime, give it back...! Give me my powers back!"_

_ Orihime's teary eyes widened as she stared at Ichigo, confusion seeped in her expression._

_ **It's sad... I'm so sad... Ichigo's crying... Why...does it hurt so much when he's crying...? It's so painful... It makes me sick to my stomach... It gives a headache... It breaks my heart...when he cries like this... Please, don't cry, Ichigo... Don't cry... Please stop crying...**_

_"Don't do it, Orihime. You did what was necessary."_

_ Orihime's eyes widened as her hand was being grabbed by Isshin Kurosaki. She didn't even realize that she had been subconsciously reaching out to Ichigo with the Hogyoku. The boy stumbled back onto his feet as he stared at the man behind her.  
_

_ "...Mr...Kurosaki...?"_

_ The pained voice in front of her regained her attention as it panted out, "Dad... Urahara... Yoruichi..."_

_ On cue, the other two landed in the clear road, each staring at Ichigo with a blank expression. He gritted his teeth and mumbled, "So that's it... That is it, then? Dad...you too? That's how it is...?"_

_ "..**.**Ichigo. That's enough. You're through."_

_ Ichigo growled as he struggled to stand to his feet, screaming out, "You bastard! I'll kill you, too!"_

_ He stumbled quickly towards Isshin, a determined sprint keeping him moving as he rushed his father. He didn't get too far, as a scythe-like object quickly slashed through his chest, causing him to trip on his feet as he fell towards the ground._

* * *

_ High above the battle zone, a dark-skinned man witnessed as the events turned sour for Ichigo. He frowned as listened to him, and turned as he felt two pressures appear behind him._

_ "...You know you weren't authorized by the Head-Captain to come to the Human World, Kaname... I had to use to computer terminals to find you."_

_ Tosen felt Aizen and Gin appear next to his shoulders. They looked down upon the battle with the Hollowfied woman as she reappeared in the clearing._

_ "...So what's been happenin' so far, Tosen? Looks pretty bad for Berry man... I thought Ginjo would be here to save him..."_

_ The dark-skinned Captain spoke silently, "I kept Xcution at bay with my Bankai... It seems his friends are trying...an intervention, though the Hollow woman showed up unexpectedly. However, it appears that girl used the Hogyoku to steal Ichigo's powers... Though, you do know that Urahara will take it from her...  
_

_ "The Hogyoku answers the conscious of its master... It has chosen her as its master... He can't take it from her unless he kills her... And Ichigo's power will continue to save her, as hers will do the same."_

_ Gin blinked and looked over to Aizen as he commented, "You sneaky dog... So that visit... You wanted the girl's power...?" _

_"As long as she desires him, his powers will never fade...no matter how many times they take it away... We'll lose the Hogyoku, but we obtain control of a transcendental being... I think that's a fair trade."_

_ Tosen nodded and turned back to the battle. One word stayed in his mind throughout that entire encounter._

_ '...Injustice, huh?'_

* * *

_ The Hollow's scream did little to faze the Captain-leveled Soul Reapers as she stood protectively over the body._

_ "...I'm sorry...but I can't let you eat your best friend, Tatsuki... Heh, that sounded weird... I wish Ichigo was awake to hear that one..."_

_ She roared again and dashed towards Isshin, who simply moved to the side as he let her attack slip past him. He turned around, prepared to counter her until she ran from him._

_ "Isshin, you idiot! She's not after you!"_

_ The man's eyes widened as he realized a moment too late. Her masked jaws opened as Orihime stood in shock._

_ "Orihime! Move!"_

_The girl was still to frightened to move._

_ 'Tatsuki...? Please... No...'_

_ **"...I...will...help...you..."**_

_She barely flinched as the mask neared her face, as her attention was drawn to Ichigo, who appeared in the air behind Tatsuki. A concentration of Reishi appeared in his hand, creating an arrow-like object. Using it like a knife, he quickly carved into the Hollow's mask, breaking it completely and revealing the confused expression of the teenage girl below it. Tatsuki fell to her knees, staring at her bloody hands in wonder.  
_

_ "...What...?"_

_ Ichigo's eyes locked with Orihime's as he crashed into the ground, rolling against the gravel and coming to a stop a short distance away. The girl quickly rushed towards the fallen form as she shouted out, "Ichigo!"_

_ She skid on her knees to his body as she began chanting for her Shun Shun Rikka. Her hands covered over him as she tried to heal him. He looked up at her and blinked as she reassured, "Ichigo! It's going to be alright... It's going to..."_

_ "Why are you...helping me...? I...don't even know you..."_

_ Orihime's healing immediately stopped as Ichigo looked to her in confusion, and she did the same to him._

_ "...What...?"_

_ Ichigo frowned as he groaned, "...I don't even know...why I saved you... My feet moved of their own accord... Something just told me...that I had to help you..."_

_ Orihime's mouth was slightly parted as she stared at Ichigo, her eyes wide in confusion as she didn't understand._

_ "...So it seems your Hollow affects memories, Urahara. That's wonderful..."_

_ The girl's frightened visage looked up as three men dressed in black, hooded cloaks appeared in front of her and Ichigo._

_ "You... You three... You were the ones at my house earlier!"_

_ Yoruichi stepped forward as she grunted, "So you were here, Aizen... And it seems he's picked up a present from us, Kisuke."_

_ The brown-haired man smirked slightly as he motioned for Gin to unravel the Sentan Hakuja. The dark-skinned man lightly pushed the girl away from Ichigo's body._

_ "...Yes... I'll have to thank you for these cloaks, as they've come in quite good use over these years... I would love to have tea with all of you, but I have business to take care of with young Ichigo here. We have to leave."_

_ Isshin panicked, rapidly unsheathing his Zanpakuto and yelling, "Getsuga Tensho!"_

_ However, it was much too late, as the traitors had already left in the unraveling scroll. After the shock wore off, Isshin cursed and stomped on the ground in frustration as he closed his eyes._

_ "...Isshin."_

_ The man shoved away Kisuke's hand as he growled, "I'm not in the mood. I need time to myself..."_

_ While Kisuke and Yoruichi stared at him, Chad watched as Orihime stared at the debris. Uryu stumbled over to their position, looking in their general direction as well. He narrowed his eyes as he spotted something.  
_

_"Is...that...?"_

* * *

_ "...It seems we've left his body... He must have died before we left. Gin, why didn't you check his vitals before we left?"_

_ **Who...are these people...? What's...What's going on...?**_

_ "What!? I thought you had 'everything planned'!? Don't blame me for leaving behind the corpse, Captain Aizen!"_

_ **...That girl...she called me something...but I don't remember...**_

_ "I'm blaming you anyway... Lucky for us, she gave him back his Soul Reaper powers unconsciously... We'll just come back for the body and the girl later... And where's his chain? As a matter of fact, I don't remember it rattling at all... Tosen, did he even have one?"_

_ **Chain? What...are they talking about...?**_

_"He ejected from his body to face his friends... The real body is buried beneath all of the rubble of the complex."  
_

_ **A soul... Am I dead...?**_

_"Maybe we can still go back and get it."_

_ **I...don't...**_

_"...Gin, it's too late... They have their hands on his corpse... No matter... We'll use it on him. Gin. Tosen. Put your Reiatsu into this blade."_

_ The orange-haired boy's eyes blinked as he woke up to a blinding pain in his chest. However, as quickly as it appeared, it faded away._

_ "...We're leaving... Tosen, escort him to the Rukon District... We'll pick him up there..."_

_ When the boy acquired recognition of his surroundings, he realized that he was in the presence of a dark-skinned man, who held a glowing blade in his hand. In his other was a large sword. It looked familiar to him, but he couldn't place his fingers on it."_

_ "...You... Who are...?"_

_ The man frowned and replied, "There's no need to worry about that... As long as you can see me, that means it worked properly..."_

_ "...What...?"_

_ The man tossed the blade to Ichigo's feet, who stared down at it in confusion. He nervously gripped its handle as he looked back towards the man. The dark-skinned man nodded behind him where a large, traditional gate rested._

_ "Come with me, Ichigo Kurosaki... I'll show you the path you seek... I'll show you the path to justice..."_

_ He motioned for him to foll-_

_ **No...**_

_ 'He called me... Ichigo... That girl called me Ichigo, too...'_

_ He motioned for Ichigo to follow him into the gate. He watched as the man passed the white light, which threatened to embrace him with its brightness. Ichigo looked down at the large blade in his hand before dragging it with him into the gate... with a new path reflected in his eyes..._

* * *

"We were all responsible. We should have told him about Aizen and his ploy before he could ensnare him in his grasp... Because of that, Ichigo's lost in Soul Society...still no closer to understanding everything..."

Orihime looked to her feet as she asked, "And Tatsuki...?"

"The Hollow that you and Ichigo fought... Or I should say the Arrancar... Her scythe stole his memories from him in the first place and she was trying to give it back... You interrupted the fight and drew the Inner Hollow's attention."

Orihime scratched her cheek in awkwardness as the elder Souls looked at her accusingly.

"...Sorry."

Kisuke waved her off as he replied, "It really doesn't matter... It's too late to take all of that back... The only thing we can do is help Ichigo from the Human World, and keep Aizen's hands off of his body."

"...Seriously, that shit sounds weird... Stop saying that."

* * *

Trivia:

-Kuretsusen is the name of Ichigo's(Mugetsu) attack in Soul Ignition. It's the shockwave technique when he and Aizen are destroying the mountains.

-The Hollow Scythe is the same one from Bleach: Fade to Black, and is responsible for Ichigo's memory loss.

-As shown by "White's" influence, Ichigo's Incomplete Getsuga Tensho form was created when the Hollow merged with his Soul Reaper powers. Therefore, like when Ginjo took his Fullbring, Orihime took the top layer of his Reiatsu with the Hogyoku (which returned when he killed Aaroniero), and not his actual Soul Reaper powers (some of which returned when he grabbed her). Aizen, Tosen, and Gin simply restored it.

-The Incomplete form is also similar to Ginjo's Hollow-like Bankai.

-Like one reviewer said, Ichigo uses the same logic as Tosen for intentional reasons. It's meant to show how flawed his thinking is, and sorta makes Tosen a direct Antithesis to Ichigo (So Tosen won't be as unimportant as the original Canon).


	16. Criminals Stand Impasse

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

Kotetsu waved to the excited Fifth Division members as she stopped at the door to her Captain's office. She sighed in annoyance, as she realized that the man was probably asleep.

"...I really didn't think that guy was serious when he wanted me to do all of the paperwork... It's actually a little difficult without Sentaro..."

Shaking her head to clear her mind, she opened the door to a major surprise; the Lieutenant's desk next to Ichigo's was cleared of paperwork. His desk was just as clean. Her Captain was standing on the far side of the office, pulling out a book from the shelf as he turned around. He looked up, noticing Kiyone and giving her a slight wave.

"Yo."

Her mouth gaped like a fish as she stared at the clean office. Ichigo's expressionless face unnerved her greatly. Usually, he brags when he does something out of the ordinary, just to prove that he is capable of doing such.

"...Ah, I see you're confused about the clean office... This won't happen again... I just wanted to find something."

Kiyone's face fell as she mused to herself, "Of course not... So what were you looking for, Captain?"

Ichigo frowned, staring blankly at her as she flinched under his gaze. She held her hands up in a surrender gesture as she commented, "You don't have to tell me... It's Captain business, isn't it?"

"...No. It was about Aizen."

The Lieutenant blinked, wondering why he was looking for records about the traitor. She then remembered how close he was to Lieutenant Hinamori and Captain Aizen.

_'Of course...the betrayal's probably fresh in his mind... Knowing him, he'd do something stupid... like going after Aizen...'_

Her eyes widened as she finally realized why Captain Ukitake sent her to this position.

"...Uh... Captain, are you going after him...? Please don't do anything stupid..."

He looked over to her and shook his head, "Not now... There's no point in abandoning my position to go after him now... I'll be no different than him..."

Kiyone nodded, but a part of her didn't believe him. She noticed that he was staring intently at the book he was reading.

"...What is that...?"

Ichigo peeked up from behind it and explained, "...This is a journal...with a bunch of notes about Aizen... His mannerisms... his skills... Everything but his Zanpakuto... But I know about it..."

"...He wrote notes about himself?"

Ichigo shook his head and replied, "No. It was written by the Captain before him...when Aizen was his Lieutenant... Captain Shinji Hirako... A man that was exiled over a hundred years ago... I'm inclined to believe that Aizen might have been behind it, considering this Hirako guy was suspicious of his own Lieutenant... "

Kiyone scowled as she thought about the name... It was definitely familiar to her... She actually remembered, as she was Unseated Soul Reaper at the time.

"...Yeah, I remember that guy... Pretty laid back and lazy, always leaving the work to his Lieutenant...," she commented, and then pointedly stared at Ichigo, who wasn't paying any attention.

"...These notes stop at a certain point a hundred and thirty years ago... Considering the records say he was exiled, it was definitely at that time... Whatever Aizen did, he got rid of him then."

She began thinking about that point in time and said, "I remember... there were disappearances in the Fugai District..."

_Aizen began reminiscing as they entered the area, and a small smirk graced his face for a moment, though only Ichigo noticed. _

"...then the Ninth Division was ordered to investigate... They didn't return, and the Captains Rojuro Otoribashi of the Third, Shinji Hirako of the Fifth, and Love Aikawa of the Seventh were sent out, along with the Lieutenants of the Kido Corps and Eight Division... According to the reports, the Twelfth Division Captain Kisuke Urahara..."

_"...So you were the three keeping tabs on me...? Did Urahara ask you all to protect Ichigo from me...?"_

"...and the Kido Corps Captain Tessai Tsukabishi went there without permission, and the Captains and Lieutenants came back Hollowfied. They were to be executed and Urahara and Tsukabishi were banished, though they were all saved by the Second Division Captain Yoruichi Shihoin."

_Ichigo was cut off as Sui-Feng brought her elbow down on his head, sending him back to the ground before he could stand._

_ "Kurosaki. Your time here is done. Do not worry about this battle... As Lady Yoruichi's trusted confidant, I will protect you, as per her request."_

"That was the end of that debacle. No one's ever seen them again."

* * *

"Head-Captain."

The elder man turned away from the balcony when the melodious voice rung in his ear. Behind him, Captain Retsu Unohana stood, hands clasped together as she stared at him.

"...What are you doing here, Captain Unohana?"

The woman turned her head towards the direction of the Fifth Division, which Yamamoto followed her gaze. He turned back to her and asked, "Does this have to do with Captain Kurosaki?"

She narrowed her eyes slightly at the barracks before turning back to Yamamoto and stating, "Are you sure it's wise to keep him in such a position? Captains Aizen, Tosen, and Ichimaru had placed their names on his letter of recommendation for a reason... They were after him... If he was manipulated into such a position, should we really keep him there?"

Yamamoto's hand clasped the wooden railing as he watched over the Seireitei. He looked over his shoulder and stated, "He has obtained the use of his Bankai... Even if his promotion was a lie, he is still a capable warrior."

Unohana scowled, a frightening expression on her otherwise motherly visage, and noted, "...He had trouble with the Novena Espada... And he was nearly suffocating under the pressure of Aizen and his culprits. He is nowhere near the proper capabilities of a Captain."

The elder raised his head in skepticism as he asked, "What brought about this change? Didn't you agree with his Captaincy? Why are you trying to get rid of him?"

"...I guess that was pretty hostile... But that wasn't how I meant to covey my intentions."

Yamamoto frowned as he inquired, "Your true intentions of questioning his Captaincy? What are you getting at, Unohana?"

The woman's eyes darkened as she informed, "Ichigo Kurosaki does not have the skills to compete with Aizen, nor any of his subordinates... He will die if he doesn't learn how to kill."

Yamamoto's blank stare slightly unnerved her as his eyes opened slightly to stare at her.

"...Is this Retsu's request? Or is this the request of that witch Yachiru?"

Unohana's eyes darkened as she replied, "Both."

* * *

"...This meeting is adjourned. Unless there is anything anyone else would like to add...?"

Many of the Captains stared at Yamamoto in confusion as his gaze shifted to Unohana. Ichigo became slightly frightened as her blue orbs locked with his, filling his body with fear.

"Captain Kurosaki... Please follow me after this meeting... There is something you and I need to discuss."

Ichigo blinked and looked to his right at Captain Iba, who simply shrugged in response. He gazed over to his left at Komamura, who did the same. After everyone in the hall pointedly stared at him, he was inclined to ask, "About what?"

"...I'd rather not embarrass you in front of the Captains. It would be best if you simply followed me to a private area for some...extracurricular activities."

Ichigo's face turned red as a few Captains snickered. Zaraki laughed aloud, "Kurosaki!? You havin' secret affairs or somethin'!?"

The only thing he could do was narrow his eyes in annoyance at the woman's ever-frightening smile.

_'...Way to not embarrass me in front of the Captains.'_

* * *

However, as the Captains filed out, with Shuhei and Zaraki still snickering, Ichigo followed Unohana as she walked him down a long set of stairs beneath the First Division building. He stepped behind her in silence, waiting anxiously for whatever was about to happen.

"...So why are we here in this prison?"

Unohana did not answer she stood in front of a door. The locking mechanisms began releasing as she stepped closer, and the large door opened. She stepped in first, walking towards the center of the room and leaving Ichigo behind to marvel at the large room. He whistled as he stepped inside, commenting, "...It's pretty...dark and depressing... You aren't gonna rape me here, are you? I'm prepared to high-tail it outta here if you even show me a hint of bondage..."

"Shut up. Your voice irks me."

Ichgio visibly flinched as she stood quite a distance in front of him, noticing that her long hair was let down.

"...I can feel your confusion... You were unconscious when I fought Aizen, so you don't know about me..."

She unclasped her Zanpakuto from her back, holding its sheathe in her hand as she continued, "This area is Muken... This is the absolute deepest place in the Soul Society, and is where the big time criminals reside... People like me, at one point...and people like you."

"...What? You and me?"

She chuckled and replied, "Yes, me... The first Kenpachi, Yachiru Unohana... and You, the Substitute Soul Reaper from thirty years ago."

Ichigo's eyes widened as he mumbled, "How... How did yo-?"

She smiled, though he couldn't see, and replied, "It's suspicious, isn't it? You came to Soul Society in the garbs of a Soul Reaper. You were a Soul Reaper before you even entered the Academy and graduated. You were the Fourth Seat of the Second Division soon after, and then moved to the Fifth Division as the Third Seat... In less than thirty years, you have learned and understood your Bankai, and became a Captain."

Ichigo was frightened as she slowly turned her head towards him, and her dark smirk was augmented by the crawling darkness that overshadowed her face. She continued, "...I've heard it from Aizen himself... He fears your power, and that he is interested in studying you... So I wondered about you, Ichigo Kurosaki... What is so special about you?"

He took a step back as she turned around completely, revealing the gruesome scar above her chest, and commented, "I wondered if you were the man behind the Thirteenth Division's murders..."

Ichigo blinked and quickly denied, "What!? Hell no! That was the Hollow! I disco-!"

Her brows furrowed in sick amusement as she interrupted, "Those murders started thirty years ago... Coincidence, huh? That you were moved to Soul Society as a Soul Reaper, and over a hundred Soul Reapers were murdered around that time... You are just as much a criminal as I, Ichigo Kurosaki, whether you know it or not."

Ichigo snarled at her accusation and yelled, "I don't give a damn about what you think! If you're here to arrest me for some shit I did when I was alive, then I'm not gonna go quietly!"

Unohana chuckled slightly as she drew her Zanpakuto and said, "...This prison, Muken, is the deepest place of Soul Society. This room goes on indefinitely... It's void and dark, with no contact from the outside world... No one will hear your screams here."

He glared at the woman as she held out her large nodachi, calling out, "This isn't a battle to capture you, Ichigo Kurosaki. This is a fight to the death... One of us shall receive judgement for our crimes, and the other shall walk out alone... I advise you to release your Bankai, so I can enjoy myself before you die..."

Ichigo scowled and turned on his heels in disgust, walking towards the exit as he yelled over his shoulder, "I'm not interested... There's no way the old man would allow you to do something like this..."

Before he could reach the exit, she slipped in front of him, her Zanpakuto pointed at his face. The door behind her closed on its own, and Ichigo grimaced at the locking sounds.

She smirked and replied, "He did...and I made the request... You see, I've watched your battles... I watched you fight the Novena Espada and win with luck... I watched how you crumbled under the pressure of Aizen and his subordinates... Such a weakness needs to be fixed... I will teach you, Ichigo Kurosaki... how to destroy your enemies utterly without hesitation."

Ichigo growled as he smacked the blade away from his face and snarled, "You want me to become a mindless barbarian like you and Zaraki? Fuck that. No thanks, Mrs. Unohana, your lesson isn't needed."

He moved to walk around her, locking eyes with her own lusty blue orbs as he passed by. She waited until he passed her completely before reaching out and grabbing his shoulder, tossing him back towards the center. As he soared backwards, he grasped his Zanpakuto and yelled, _"Bankai!"_

Unohana's expression lit up in sickened joy as the dust exploded from his form, and she felt the powerful Reiatsu of his Bankai. He stood valiantly in the cloudy aura, his cloak flowing in the heavy winds.

"I don't give a shit about your goddamned lessons... I apologize sincerely for not becoming a sick fuck like you and Zaraki... I'm just gonna move you and leave."

The dust cleared away, and her eyes narrowed as she studied his Bankai... It was different from what was shown to her at the Captain's meeting.

_'An entirely different feeling from before... This is quite eerie.'_

Two skeletal pauldrons rested on his shoulders, each connected by segmented, cage-like bones on his chest and holding his Captain's haori tightly against his form. A large, white collar rested on his neck. The white undershirt became bone-like, connecting to a bony belt with an _'X' _on the front. Underneath his black hakama, Unohana could see skeletal boots on his feet and ankles.

"...Oho... This killing intent is definitely one that only a Hollow could possess... The authorities would lock you away for good if they could feel it from down here... I can see why Zaraki likes fighting you so much..."

Unohana watched as he took off into a mad sprint towards her, and her maniacal grin widened as she screamed, "I won't give them the chance though...! You won't escape this prison with me! You're gonna satisfy my bloodlust with this power of yours before anyone gets a chance to take it away from me!"

Two long Zanpakuto collided with each other in a wrecking explosion.

* * *

"...Old Man... You sure that was wise? You know how she is..."

After the meeting, only Shunsui and Jushiro stayed behind, staring at Yamamoto as he sighed, slumping back in his seat.

"...I'm not too worried... Captain Unohana is a complete and utter monster... She lives for the battlefield, and searches for worthy candidates of her attention... One who will allow her to fight to her heart's content."

The sickly Captain stepped forward and protested, "Captain Kurosaki's a great fighter, but he isn't on the same level as Captain Unohana! She'll quickly become bored of him, and we'll be short another Captain! We don't have the resources to spare finding another replacement!"

"...Is that what you believe, Jushiro? You lack faith in Kurosaki?"

Shunsui ducked further beneath his hat and asked, "Are you allowing this...so you can see why Aizen was so interested in him?"

Yamamoto slowly stood up from his seat and began gliding across the hall towards the exit.

"...Kurosaki has astounding conviction... He's young and foolish, but I've seen that before... That boy isn't a killer...and I don't think he ever will... That's because he simply wants to win... He fights to survive... And Unohana fights to kill..."

Shunsui and Jushiro watched as he crossed the threshold to the long hallway.

"...Both of their goals conflict... They will battle to a bloody impasse..."

* * *

"How cute... Such adorable Reiatsu..."

Ichigo gritted his teeth at Unohana's teasing and swung his blade overhead as he shouted, "Fuck you! Don't mock me!"

Unohana hid a sly smirk as she his blade away and quickly etched a scar into his neck. He dashed backwards as she jumped towards him.

"It's a good thing you released your Bankai, Kurosaki... That would have killed you if you didn't."

_'She slipped past my armor so fast! This woman...!?'_

His eyes widened as she moved to attack from above. He jabbed his blade to her, though she simply stepped on his hand and moved to cut him again. His foot kicked against the air, emitting a green light as he dodged her swinging edge. Recovering immediately, Ichigo dashed after her and clashing with her blade. She smirked at his snarling features and complimented, "...You have good reflexes, Ichigo Kurosaki. What was that green light emitting from your foot?"

"...I have no idea."

The corners of her lips moved slightly higher, and she flicked her wrists, etching another wound into his skin.

_'Her hands are moving too fast! She's cutting me...but neither of her strikes ever made contact with the armor! She's nicking my skin by slipping past it!'_

"You need to move faster. I'm getting bored... And a little disappointed."

Ichigo frowned as he skidded to a stop. He narrowed his eyes and asked, "What do you mean...?"

"...This form you're using... It is much more powerful than your original Bankai. Each of my strikes would have killed an ordinary Soul Reaper, yet you are alive... I'm impressed... However, I wish to see your other form... I felt it's power, and this false power you place before me isn't it."

Ichigo smiled tiredly and informed, "Well... This is all I got... I don't know wha-"

"...You lie, Ichigo Kurosaki... You are fully capable of that form... You're scared to use it because..."

_Ichigo breathed in heavily as he woke himself from his stupor. He gazed down at his tattered clothing, and watched as black locks fell to the ground. In a panic, he reached for a lock of his own hair, confirming that it was still orange as he looked around the clearing. He reached over for Zangetsu, which had returned to its sealed form, and placed it on his back. _

"...that form seals away your Bankai."

His eye's widened as she discerned his Fugetsu. She tilted her head as she elaborated, "That attack seals away your Bankai for a while... You've just recently been able to use it... That was why you didn't escape to hunt down Aizen...and why you simply watched as the Captains defended you."

Ichigo took a step back, and she chuckled, "Good thinking, Kurosaki... I see you've understood my intentions clearly... Keeping your distance to keep me in your sights... Hone your senses... Don't let your guard down for even a moment..."

Tensa Zangetsu rose overhead to protect its wielder from Minazuki's crushing blow.

"...I'm going to stick to you like a rabid hound, Ichigo Kurosaki. I'll fight you until you've reached your limits and activate that form... And you better kill me before the timer of that form runs out..."

Ichigo was pushed back under the overwhelming pressure, but used the green light to rebound from the wall and the air to dash towards Unohana. She smirked and said, "Tch... Bad move."

Her hand reached out, grabbing Ichigo by the hairs on his neck. He held his breath as his face was a mere inch away from her maniacal grin, and she slammed him face first into the ground. Ichigo's hand quickly reach up towards her face, intending to attack her as well. She simply smacked his hand away with her blade hand and brought her blade into his throat.

Her face was twisted with disappointment as she cooed, "Too bad... You don't have the skills to pay the bills, little Ichigo..."

She gazed down at his bleeding throat, which rolled from the constant chattering of Ichigo's teeth. A slight sniffling sound emerged from his vocal cords, and she noticed the glistening of something beneath his eyes.

"...There's no point in crying. Those who bound themselves with pointless shackles must face the consequences one day... Your Hollowfied Reiatsu isn't anything to gawk at..."

Her eyes widened as she noticed the glistening again, and realized that she barely broke through the skin on his top layer.

"This is...!?

His teeth showed with his triumphant smirk as he jested, "Gotcha... _Getsuga Tensho!_"

He grabbed his Zanpakuto and swung towards her from his position on the ground, creating a large explosion on her left side.

_'...That wasn't Blut Vene...nor Hierro... That was...his Reiatsu subconsciously releasing a defensive point higher than my own attack? That...was reflex... That action was an instant reflex as soon as I cut him... That's why he's still soldiering on, even though my attacks should have killed him... It wasn't that my strikes were weaker...but that his defenses became stronger...! No one has ever done that to me...not since __**him**__...'_

Ichigo jumped to his feet and stared towards the woman as she looked down at her sleeveless right arm, marked with burns and scars. The wounds reached up to her neck and face as well, with a particularly deep gash on her right shoulder.

"..My, my...that was quite dangerous... So your potential can reach to even greater heights?"

She chuckled mirthlessly as she ran her right hand up her arm, healing many of the wounds instantly... The one on her shoulder, however, she left alone.

"...Why didn't you heal that one? And that one on your chest...?"

Unohana looked up at him and smirked slyly, suggestively commenting, "So I see where your focus has been, Captain Kurosaki... You should worry more about yourself than my breasts."

Ichigo blinked, eventually stumbling over his words as he blushed and yelled, "Th-That's not what I was...! I wasn't...! Do-Don't make me out to be so-some pervert, damnit!"

She chuckled and replied to his earlier question, "I've never been scarred before in battle...except once... That...was Kenpachi Zaraki's own doing."

His eye's widened as she finished, "...You have surprised me, Ichigo Kurosaki... I've never expected to receive a wound from a man other than Zaraki... This shall stay with me eternally... While you will never understand, this wound shall scream and curse your name when your presence...your voice...or your blade is ever near... It shall roar for vengeance against the perpetrator, and you and I shall be eternally connected through blood and clashing metal."

"...Was that just some fancy way of saying you want to fight me again? I told you already... I just want to get out of here... I could careless whether bloodshed turns you on."

Unohana's smiled widened as she raised her blade higher into the air, calling out, "Such blasphemy, Ichigo Kurosaki! Deny it all you want, but you know the truth!"

She dove at him, slashing at his left side with her blade. He blocked it, barely, as it pushed him to the side.

_Yes... I can see it clearly, Ichigo Kurosaki... Deny it if you want, but your eyes... As different as they are, your eyes speak an evil much greater than Zaraki's...much greater than mine..._

"I will overpower you by force, Ichigo Kurosaki...! If you shackle yourself down like _him_, you'll never succeed!"

Ichigo grunted as he pushed her blade away. He took a step back as she dashed towards him, clanging against his blade as he defended himself. She reached up and grabbed his hair and pulled him towards her, with her blade poised to stab him.

"Next will be a thrust! That defensive move won't work this time! My full power will end this!"

_...That Reiatsu defense...was based on Blut Vene... Only Quincies can use that move on pure reflex... That green light from earlier was Bringer Light... I'm well-informed about your moves, Ichigo, even if you don't know you're using them unconsciously... Your Soul may have forgotten your Human memories and your Quincy powers...but your reflexes have not been lost._

Her thrust didn't work, as Ichigo quickly flashed away from her grasp. Her head turned repeatedly as he flashed all around her, taunting his speed compared to hers.

"...Too fast for ya? I can go a little faster if you like...!"

_Your eyes are different...from Zaraki's eyes...and my own... We fight to savor our battles... Our bloodlust comes from within the adrenaline rush...but you... You don't savor battle... You simply enjoy the road to the end... Unlike our eyes, your eyes simply want to win... Your righteous eyes, against our tainted ones, is pure evil... To those who enjoy battle, such eyes are a sin..._

Unohana blocked over her back as Ichigo attempted to attack her from behind. She twisted, swinging her blade like a spinning top as she pushed him away.

"...Don't get cocky! That right is held for the victors!"

_Victors...? Am I trying to win? No... I just enjoy the fight... But I can see it in his eyes... No __matter how much he scowls, those eyes have the same joy as mine... He just wants to savor the victory, and not the fight... Your eyes are different, but your conviction in battle...your enjoyment... You are no less a monster than me._

Ichigo held his blade out, allowing the dark Reiatsu to mold to his arm.

"Kokuryu Gatotsu!"

He dashed towards her, intending to blast through her. She blocked it with her blade, but Ichigo's entire body was soon covered in darkness. With a roar, he overwhelmed her, pushing her into the ground and dragging her a distance away until she jumped out of it. Most of her Captain's haori had charred from the attack. He became frightened when her grin threatened to break apart her face, which had copied Zaraki's expression.

"Show me more, damnit! Your blood's just as excited! I can feel it boiling from over here!"

_Like that boy from so long ago... Aizen placed you in shackles... He sealed away your potential...because he fears that the Soul of a Human could surpass him..._

"Then I guess I have no choice..."

Ichigo's hair faded to black, and the blade of Tensa Zangetsu disappeared, leaving him the handle and hilt. The dark clothing became Reiatsu as he glared towards the overly-excited woman.

_Like that boy from so long ago... I will rid you of Aizen's shackles... I will help you...become greater..._

"_...Bankai...Minazuki..._"

The room was filled with a certain acidic substance. However, that didn't deter Ichigo at all from his assault, as the acid dispersed from his Reiatsu.

"Hoko!"

Releasing a roar, the Reiatsu around his body expanded, blowing the acid further away from him. He swing the wild Reiatsu towards Unohana's liquid-like blade, and the clash created a large explosion in the air.

_...You don't see it... But you're actually pressing me to defeat... In this short amount of time, your Reiatsu has remembered your abilities as Human, and converted them to your Soul Reaper powers... You were never an average Soul Reaper... Your heart...your conviction to win...is that of a warrior... It always has been... You have truly shown me that today, Ichigo Kurosaki._

Ichigo brought his blade down with a heavy slam, calling out, "This is it... _Hangetsu_..."

Her eyes widened as the dark room became even more so, being lit up only by the white outline of the large blast.

Unohana stood shocked as the blast missed her form completely. She looked down at Ichigo, who passed out after the overwhelming shock wore off. His head rested on her foot as she stared down at his batter body. She leaned over and lifted him up, throwing him over his shoulder as she walked out.

"...If not for our difference in conviction... I would have named you the next Kenpachi... But for the first time... I believe Yamamoto's title...will be given to you one day... The strongest Soul Reaper in a millennium..."

When she exited the chamber, Yamamoto had been standing there waiting.

"...Were you here the entire time, Head-Captain?"

Yamamoto looked over to the young Captain placed on her shoulder before turning on his heel and walking into the darkness.

"No. I just arrived."

* * *

Trivia:

-Unohana was watching Ichigo's battle when she sent the random Fourth Division member to heal him(The one that Tosen killed).

-Ichigo's new Bankai form is the exact same as Ginjo's Clad-Fullbring form. Looking at his original picture (The one where Ginjo is named as the First Substitute Soul Reaper), Ichigo's Bankai coat/Captain's haori continues where his tattered jacket leaves off.

-Hoko ("Howl") is technique of Hollowfied Ichigo in Soul Ressureccion.

-Hangetsu ("Half-Moon") is the next form of his Incomplete Getsuga Tensho. Like Fugetsu and Mugetsu, it leaves him powerless for a while.

-As also stated, the Bringer Light and the Mock-Blut Vene are simply knock-offs of his former powers. Even if he doesn't possess that race's Reiryoku circulation, his powers sealed by Orihime returned to him, allowing him to recreate those techniques reflexively with his Soul Reaper powers.


	17. Vandenreich

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"It seems Lord Aizen wants us for another meeting... We got to go, Starrk."

A dark-haired man dressed in white sighed as he stood to his feet, preparing to walk to this next meeting. He placed his hands in his pocket as he moved towards his destination, followed by shorter girl with green hair and a bony helmet on her head.

_'We've been having these a lot lately...'_

"I wonder what it's about this time...?"

The older man shrugged and drawled out, "I really don't care... The urgency of this meeting, however, causes me to believe Aizen's ready to get a move on..."

* * *

Sosuke Aizen, the former traitor of Soul Society, rested in his throne and dressed in a white jacket. Next to him stood Momo Hinamori, who watched him carefully. The man's cheek rested on his fist, and he had a very displeased disposition.

_'...Captain Aizen's really unhappy... He doesn't have the charm, nor does he know where Ichigo's human body is...'_

After joining them, Momo learned a great deal about their plans, and what Ichigo had to do with them. She knew he didn't tell her everything, but it was enough solidify her resolve.

"...I never thought...out of all my years of planning...that I would run into such a stump like this..."

At hearing his voice, she turned towards him as he mumbled aloud.

"...But...I know what I need to do now... Ichigo Kurosaki will have to wait..."

Momo's features twisted in confusion as she stared at him.

"...Whatcha thinkin' 'bout, Captain Aizen? You seem slightly troubled..."

Aizen looked over to his left when Gin appeared next to him. He looked over to him in slight annoyance, though a small smile still graced his features.

"Not much really... I've finally decided...what I need to do..."

For a slight second, Gin's eyes opened, though he returned to his usual self with a slight chuckle, "So what do we need to do?"

"...Wait."

As he spoke, the Espada began piling, each finding their own place to stand at in his room. Eventually, Tosen decided to show up last, creeping into the room as he moved to stand next to Momo.

"...I'm glad you all could make it... I have some new things I would like to discuss with all of you..."

Suddenly, a loud thumping noise was heard from the wall, and they turned to the source as it continued.

"...Boss man, I think your wall's pretty pissed off."

Aizen smirked and stated, "That, Grimmjow, is the very essence of this meeting."

"...You want us to take care of the rats in your wall?"

The Soul Reaper chuckled as he stood to his feet and sauntered over to the wall. One hand buried into his pocket, and the other buried itself deep into the stone barrier, seemingly reaching out for something. After a second of constant banging, Aizen ripped something from the wall. Gin's mouth hung down in shock as he exclaimed, "Da fuck!?"

"...I spy...with my little eye...a scout from the Vandenreich army."

He tossed the white bundle onto the floor as it unfolded, revealing a male dressed white military clothing. His dark hair had been ruffled from the rough treatment due to Aizen, and he had been roped and gagged.

"I have spied this man, along with multiple other Scout Snipers, outside in the Las Noches desert, believing they can camouflage themselves from me."

As he spoke, the Exequias Forces of Las Noches began escorting multiple different warriors from the Vandenreich. Many of the Espada watched in shock as neither one of them sensed their presence at all. They all created a Garganta and tossed the bodies inside of it as Rudbornn Chelute motioned for them to.

"...I see you all understand... I wish to know...why my own Espada, which I have so painstakingly created, cannot comprehend the order..._of keeping out all intruders_."

A dark-skinned Arrancar began to protest, though Aizen silenced him.

"...There shall be no excuses... It's quite understandable, really... I have finally realized..._that all of you are defective products_..."

"Defective...!?"

Aizen spotted the angry Decimo Espada, Yammi Llargo, charging towards him in anger.

"I'll show you defec-!"

Before he realized it, he was sliced cleanly in half, courtesy of Kyoka Suigetsu. Aizen turned on his heel to walk into a newly-made Garganta. He looked over to Momo and nodded and then turned back to the others.

"Wonderwiess, come here...Gin...Tosen...Rudbornn... I'm ordering..._an all-out massacre on all defective Arrancar subjects..._"

Fear coursed through every Espada's veins at his last order, and the hands of a few slowly crept to their Zanpakuto. The blonde, emotionless Arrancar made a slight noise of confusion before stumbling after Aizen.

"...Momo, go and fetch Kukkapuro."

Momo blinked at the order, and Gin looked over to Aizen as he commented, "You can't be serious... The dog, Captain Aizen? The hell do you want the dog for?"

"...I'm very serious."

Momo blinked again, and shook her head as she turned towards a small entrance in the room. She bent down at the entrance and cooed, "Come 'ere boy! Who's a good boy? Come on, lil' Puro...!"

With a small, hesitant whine, the dog slowly crept out and jumped into Momo's arms.

"...Why do you want the dog, Captain Aizen?"

The man turned towards Gin and drawled out, "Because he is very cute and fluffy. Now, come Momo. A new horizon awaits us all."

The girl nodded and turned back to Gin and Tosen as they prepared for battle.

"Ta-ta for now, Lieutenant Hinamori... Me and Kaname here got business to take care of..."

As Aizen entered the Garganta, Momo followed hesitantly. As she left, Gin looked down towards the battle-ready Espada with a small smirk.

"Sorry guys... Captain Aizen told me to take you guys out of the game... Ya'll ain't got anymore coins..."

* * *

"Orihime! You're finally back! Now witness my... Super Ultimate Supreme Mega Raiza Doggy Sty-!"

A redhead dove towards the auburn-haired girl as she walked into the school. At the same time, Orihime dove to meet her in the air, wrapping her arms around her neck and clotheslining her.

"Sorry, Raiza... Unless you've forgotten, I'm strictly dickly."

The girl groaned as she gagged, "Damn... You've...still got it..!" before she was slammed into the ground. Orihime's fraternal twin shook her head as she walked past them.

"I don't know why you even bother, Raiza. You know Orihime doesn't like shoujo-ai..."

The girl quickly recovered as she hopped to her feet and yelled, "My love for Orihime transcends all bounds of reality! You're just a hater 'cause you ain't got no boobies!"

Tatsuki frowned and moved to correct her, though she stopped, as she didn't want Raiza touching on her either.

Raiza Honsho was the school's biggest lesbian since her mother, Chizuru. She was adopted by the woman around the time Orihime's mother died. Ever since then, they've been friends...somewhat...

"...Yeah, that's right! I don't want you! Orihime's boobies are the ones for m-"

As Raiza spoke, she turned right into Orihime's foot. She fell to the ground, pitifully whining as Orihime stepped over her.

_...It's funny when I think about it... Ichigo Kurosaki used to walk these very halls...alongside Uncle Chad...alongside my father...and mother..._

She walked into her homeroom, preparing herself for her last months of High School before she graduated. She moved to the back of the class room to her usual seat as she placed her feet on the desk, with Tatsuki sitting next to her.

_...The days just seem to drag by... After spending that week doing detective work on Ichigo...I find myself wondering...'Is this what Ichigo used to do? When he rebelled from his family, and joined Xcution...did he sit here, in this very seat, wondering if life was nothing more than a drag? That sitting here, learning about all of this when the afterlife exists...was useless to him?_

Orihime picked up a pencil and began balancing it on her fingers absentmindedly as more students filed into the classroom. A couple of guys waved to her, excited to be in the presence of their beloved Orihime. One of them pushed his friend out of the way as he overshadowed her desk.

"Miss Orihime! You are looking quite lonely on this wonder Wednesday! Do you wish for company!?"

She frowned and waved him away, much to his disappointment. When the others began cheering and jesting him for being dumped, he lashed out at them angrily. Tatsuki simply chuckled and Orihime looked out of the window.

_...Tough men, huh...? I wonder...if they will be the same when they die, and are introduce to the frightening afterlife... It's kinda funny to say...that the afterlife is much more appealing to me... This ignorant world is-_

Her internal monologue was halted as she realized what had been commenced.

"Your buttocks are so wonderfully peachy, as usual Orihime!"

Orihime swung her elbow, nailing Raiza in her face and knocking her flat on the ground. She tried to reach towards Orihime's ankle, but it was stepped on by another girl who took the seat behind Orihime.

"Tch... Move, Honsho."

The teenager groaned as her hands were crushed, and she yelled out, "You homophobic bitch! Get outta my seat, Dokugamine!

Riruka waved her hands through her locks as she replied, "Make me, Honsho."

The girl snarled and moved to the seat in front of Orihime. She turned around and winked before turning to the front of the class as the teacher entered. As the teacher droned on about some unnecessary subject, Orihime jumped slightly when a finger tapped her on the back. She turned around when Riruka leaned forwards to whisper to her.

"...So did Ginjo tell you everything...?"

She nodded and turned back to the board as she tried to pay attention to the teacher, though she was failing.

"...Did he tell you about Aizen...? And what he's done to Ichigo...?"

She nodded again, wondering why she was still asking.

"...Did he and your father tell you about the Vandenreich?"

Orihime blinked and looked over her shoulder as she asked, "What?"

"Excuse me, Miss Ishida!"

Orihime frowned and growled, "It's Inoue!"

"Don't interrupt me while I'm speaking! As I was saying, we have a new student today! For some reason, we always have new students every week, which is quite suspicious, but don't mind me! Please come inside and introduce yourself!"

The class watched as the door opened and a girl walked in. She had dark hair with a cylinder-shaped clip on two bangs framing the sides of her face. Her hair stopped at her shoulders, but most of it was tied in a bun. A hair-clip rested on the left side of her hair. She wrote her name on the board before turning towards the rest of the class with bright smile.

"Hello! My name is Momo Hinamori...and I'm glad to be a part of your class!"

The teacher nodded and pointed at a seat next to Riruka. The girl quickly slipped through the desks and sat next to her, waving at her as she sat down. The Fullbringer gave her a slight wave before turning back to Orihime and whispering, "You know a good bit about Ichigo... but you have no clue about what happened...after he died..."

* * *

"Where's Riruka?"

Kugo Ginjo turned towards the door as Jackie Tristan entered and looked around the lobby area. The dark-haired man replied, "She and Yukio actually decided to go to school today... Shocking, I know..."

The dark-skinned woman stared at him incredulously as she replied, "You let her meet with Orihime...? You know what she's going to tell her...?"

"About the Vandenreich? She was bound to learn it from her father anyway... Urahara said it... Karakura Town's gonna get fucked very soon... Especially if both of them come here..."

Jackie frowned and moved towards the sofa area as she watched the news feed on another terrorist attack.

_"Sources report that incident was sparked...by none other than the anonymous Neo-Nazi group, the Vandenreich. This video was found on the web a mere moment after the attack."_

The screen switched to another, revealing a darkened screen with a man leaning forward. The darkness covered over most of his face, leaving his features hidden.

_"...Traitorous mother... Murderous Goddess of Death... Another of your kind falls... We move closer and closer to the Holy Ragnarok... Bring me back my son...born in the darkness..."_

The screen turned to static and the camera switched back to the woman.

_"...That was another message from the terrorist who calls himself 'Juhabach'. He's well-known for his various attacks across the Japanese front, and is responsible for the destruction of the Karakura Hospital. We still have yet to confirm the actual existence of this 'son', but police reports are investigating-"_

Ginjo placed the remote back onto the glass table surface after he turned the power off. He fell back in his seat as he sighed.

"...It seems they're moving closer...Damnit, Orihime..."

* * *

"...So what was that about the Vandenreich? You mean that hacker-terrorist Nazi group?"

Riruka frowned as she asked, "You really have no idea about them at all, do you?"

Orihime and Tatsuki both shook their heads as they walked around the Karakura park area. The Fullbringer sighed and held her face in her hands.

"...You guys are unbelievable... And your Dad's never told you about them...?"

Orihime frowned as she stated, "You said that in class... Why would my father know about them?"

"...The Vandenreich are a group of Quincies that appeared after the massacre nearly two decades ago..."

Tatsuki frowned and said, "Wait, the massacre was over two-hundred years ago... What are you talking about?"

Riruka sighed again and stated, "There was one seventeen years ago...but not against Quincies."

Both Tatsuki and Orihime rubbed their heads in confusion.

The Fullbringer looked down at her feet and stated, "Thirty years ago... Ichigo Kurosaki died, and his soul was captured by Aizen, and he became a Soul Reaper... Thirty years ago, Ginjo acquired more power, and became a Substitute Soul Reaper after Ichigo's death... And neither one of you know what that means..."

As expected, both of them shook their heads, and Riruka elaborated, "Fullbringers powers are similar to that of Hollows...that is a given... But Ginjo is different... You do know what his Fullbring is...?"

Orihime nodded, as the brief image of Ginjo's cross appeare-

Riruka crossed her arms as Orihime realized what she was claiming. The auburn-haired girl quickly pulled out her cell phone as she quickly accessed the internet.

"...You see, Ginjo was born a Quincy, though he was never able to learn any of their techniques... After his brother left him his Quincy Cross upon his death, he discovered Fullbring, and based his techniques from what he learned from his brother... Fullbring requires drawing the Soul of an object, just as Quincy skills draw the Reishi from the surrounding area... Bringer Light and Hirenkyaku are essentially the same... Ginjo created these knock-offs with Fullbring, and became the definition of the modern-day Fullbringer."

* * *

"Oi! Get out of the way! Lemme through! Captain Kurosaki, here!"

Slightly bandaged from his confrontation with Unohana, Ichigo trudged through the crowd of Soul Reapers as he neared towards the center of it. Kiyone followed behind him as he pushed through.

"Get the hell outta my way unless you wanna one-on-one with Zangetsu!"

After pushing the last person out of the way and escaping the murmuring crowd, he arrived towards the center of the attention.

While he was in the Fourth Division, his Lieutenant came to him and spoke about a crashing meteor from the skies landing in the Fifth Division Barracks. He gazed down into the hole, wondering where this 'meteor' was at...until something reached out from inside the hole and grabbed his ankle.

"You!?"

* * *

Tatsuki frowned as she commented, "What does that have to do with the Vandenreich?"

"The Vandenreich massacred majority of the Fullbringers for two reasons... Verbannung...the day of reckoning for Fullbringers... You know about the man on television? Juhabach?"

Tatsuki narrowed her eyes and said, "Yes... The man who keeps talking about his 'son, born in the dark'?"

"Yeah! He's talking about that famous rapper...! Uhm... You know..."

Riruke frowned as she looked at Orihime's phone. She growled and punched her on the head, yelling out, "Wikipedia doesn't know shit! I was talking about Ichigo!"

Orihime paused as the information sunk into her brain, along with the pain from the punch.

"...All Quincy are referred to as his children, including Ginjo... His blood flows through all of them, including you two and Ichigo... When Ichigo died, Juhabach started Verbannung..the excommunication against all Fullbringers to find Ichigo..."

Tatsuki was barely able to breathe out, "So these attacks are because of Ichigo? Because they want to find him?"

"Yes...and no... They are because of Ichigo, but it is also because of your mother..."

Orihime whispered, "My mother...?"

Riruka nodded and continued, "...Your mother hid the remains of Ichigo somewhere... The thing is, she is the only one who knows... No one, but Orihime 'Inoue'..."

Tatsuki scowled and accused, "I don't like the way you said my mother's name... Was there a reason for that?"

The Fullbringer sighed, and finally revealed, "Orihime, you were never meant to make contact with Ichigo. That's what pissed Ginjo off the most... That night..."

_Kugo Ginjo rose from the sofa and walked over to the balcony door. He looked down and noticed Orihime standing under the rain with a bag over her shoulder. He stared at her for a few moments before saying, "Go get her bags and find her a room..." _

"...He let you in because he was trying to keep you from Juhabach... He walked with you during your investigations to protect you from Juhabach...because you tell everyone that your name is Orihime 'Inoue'..."

_"Orihime Ishida, don't you dare raise your-"_

_ She turned away and cried out, "Don't you dare refer me to that name! My name is Orihime Inoue, just like my mother!"_

_"Excuse me, Miss Ishida!"_

_Orihime frowned and growled, "It's Inoue!"_

"Because of you...Juhabach still believes 'Orihime's' alive."

* * *

"...Kugo Ginjo..."

Ginjo's eyes widened as he snapped his head around, cursing as he noticed someone standing behind his seat.

"Of all the motherfuckers to pop up here... Why'd it have to be you?"

* * *

Trivia:

-That little conversation with Riruka was probably a little confusing, but I'll try to elaborate:

Ginjo is a Quincy, though he doesn't know how to use their abilities. So he got his brother's Cross and usedit for Fullbring, giving birth to the Fullbringer abilities Bringer Light and to use it on the environment. Because of this, Juhabach considers him an enemy, hence the reason for Verbannung.

When Ichigo died, Juhabach tried to find the remains of him, though couldn't because Orihime hid them. The Verbannung process then escalated into trying to find both Xcution and Orihime.

Due to the fact that Orihime insists on everyone to call her Inoue, Juhabach is still after 'Orihime'.

-Verbannung is German for "Banishment".

-Ichigo's little section will be expanded upon in the next chapter, which I'm unsure when it will come out.


	18. Fated Opposition

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"...What did you come here for, Uryu...?"

Uryu Ishida stood in the base of the Xcution, a place he hadn't been in a long time. He looked around at everything before turning back to Ginjo.

"...So Orihime's staying here with you... I'd hoped she would have come back..."

Ginjo blinked as Uryu looked out into the skies. Placing down his glass of alcohol, he informed, "She doesn't feel safe at your place... I'm not gonna do anything to her... I learned that from my mistakes with Kurosaki..."

The Quincy looked down at him and stated, "...As long as you don't turn her into some kinda avenger, I don't care what you do to her... However, I have one request..."

"...A request?"

Uryu hopped over the seat and sat down, turning the television on and pouring his own glass, much to Jackie's displeasure.

"...Even though I know she's gonna do it, I want you do everything in your power...to make sure Ichigo doesn't lay a hand on my daughter... Otherwise, I'm gonna have to raid your refrigerator for every sake bottle you own."

Ginjo chuckled as he poured him a glass and leaned back into the couch. After a moment of silence, the Fullbringer finally inquired, "Are you gonna do something stupid?"

"...What are you talking about...?"

The man leaned up in his seat as he looked over at Uryu and repeated, "Are you gonna do something stupid...? You're basically asking me to watch your daughter for you, even though you don't trust me...

"You're right... I still blame you for killing Ichigo. I think you should've stayed in this little hideaway of yours and left Ichigo alone... I also think Orihime might have told you where Ichigo's remains are..."

Ginjo frowned and protested, "I told you... I didn't steal Ichigo's powers! I didn't kill him! And I don't know where Ichigo's remains are!"

"...Yeah, whatever. Guess Orihime was smarter than I thought..."

The Fullbringer blinked and then shook his head as he reiterated, "If you still don't trust me, then why are you leaving Orihime with me...?

Uryu said nothing as he continued surfing through the channels. He sighed and leaned back in his seat as he stated, "...If the Vandenreich really are here, then I fear for my children... I don't want them to end up a part of it..."

Ginjo looked over to Uryu before turning back to the television, and the room became silent for a few moments.

"...And for the record, I still don't like you."

* * *

"...You know we're gonna get in a lot of trouble, Captain Kurosaki!"

Ichigo looked over his shoulder at his Lieutenant and yelled, "Shut the hell up! I know what I'm doing!"

Kiyone's features dropped in depression and fear as Ichigo stared down at the cot in his office. Upon it rested a pale, olive-haired woman with wounds covering her entire body. Her white outfit was still visible, though it was tattered beyond recognition.

"...Captain, do you know this person...?"

Ichigo answered, "Not really... I know what she is, but I don't know who..."

"...I know...who you are..."

Ichigo's and Kiyone's hands reflexively moved to their Zanpakuto as the woman spoke from her position. Her lavender-colored eyes blinked away as she looked at Ichigo. The Captain growled as he fully unsheathed Zangetsu.

"...You fought...Lady Halibel in that forest..."

_Ichigo frowned, as he could see the hungry gaze in the woman's eyes. She spoke, "You didn't see Ulquiorra's number, did you...? If you would have saw, you would have known that I rank higher than he does... This ____'3' __on my chest symbolizes that of my team, I am the third strongest."_

_ "...So if I defeat you, then the others above you should be no sweat, huh? Interesting... Let's get to it, then."_

_ The woman saw his attack from a mile away and caught him before his blade swiped at her head._

_ "...You are truly no match for me... There's no point in wasting time on you when the deed is done. Goodbye."_

_ She tossed him over her shoulder into a tree before walking away. She was only able to move a few steps before she felt him dash towards her._

_ "Kokoryu Gatotsu!"_

_ Ichigo dashed back into the clearing, with both his arm and the blade covered in dark Reiatsu as he soared towards her. He closed in on her, pumping more energy into the blade before he struck._

_However, she quickly turned and grabbed his blade, holding his energy and his arm steady as she glared down at him._

_ He felt the woman's Reiatsu pulse through his sword, and then his own body. Before he knew it, the blade reverted back to his Shikai, and his Shihakusho went back to normal._

_ "What the...? What the hell did you just do!?"_

_ The woman held her gaze for a moment before flipping him over her shoulder, throwing him into the ground. Before he could recover, she came down upon his windpipe with her knee, crushing it easily under the pressure._

_ "...You've been practicing with your Bankai... but you haven't mastered it. If you had, you would have known that a high enough level of Reiatsu can disrupt the rhythm of Bankai... Just because your Bankai is condensed does not exclude you from that rule... Your Bankai's overwhelming strength comes full force when you released your techniques... All I have to do is release an equal amount, and I can cancel your Bankai."_

_ Ichigo attempted to breathe in, but struggled as her kneecap pushed deeper into his throat._

_ "...I'm not going to kill you here... I'll allow you to become stronger, as my master wishes... After that point, I will destroy you with my own hands."_

_ She let up from him, and he breathed out in slight relief, as he still choked on the blood clogging his throat. Before she left, she turned over her shoulder and called out, "Remember my name, Ichigo Kurosaki... It's Tier Halibel, the Tercera Espada."_

_ Ichigo watched as her form sauntered out of the clearing before his eyes rolled to the back of his head, with the image of crushing defeat being the last thing pictured in his mind._

"That bit-!"

Kiyone quickly grabbed her Captain's sleeved and ordered, "Quiet! Don't let the others hear!"

Ichigo turned back towards the door to his office, scowling as he heard the stumbling of feet leaving the area. He turned back to the woman and growled, "You one of Aizen's!? You're doing a bad fucking job if I caught you!"

The woman leaned up in the cot and looked at Ichigo, a knowing gaze hidden behind her eyes. She placed her sleeve on her mouth and answered slyly, "...I wanted you to find me..."

"...Alright, then this ass whoopin' shouln't come unexpecte-!"

She quickly interrupted, "I need your help..."

Ichigo blinked and then scowled again. He grounded out, "What the hell do you need me for?"

She looked out of the window towards the sky, a sorrowful, depressing gaze in her eyes. She turned back to Ichigo and announced, "The Espada...are no longer your enemy."

"...No longer my enemy? 'The hell are you talkin' about?"

She blinked and repeated, "They are no longer your enemy... Aizen has abandoned us...and ordered his subordinates to orchestrate a complete genocide of the Arrancars he created..."

Ichigo and Kiyone stared towards the woman in disbelief. Ichigo frowned and asked, "How can I be sure you aren't lying...? Isn't his entire plan designed to make the Arrancars stronger?"

"...No...his plan is to make himself stronger... He just needs powerful experiments... We were considered defective, and he rid himself of us..."

Ichigo looked down as he remembered how he felt when he was abandoned by Aizen. He then looked up at the woman and asked, "Are you the only Arrancar...?"

"...No. A few Espada and Arrancar survived, but they escaped to the Human World...which is where I was supposed to go, but I set my Garganta up to come here."

Kiyone looked between the two as they conversed. She watched as her Captain again asked, "What do you need me for...?"

"...Even though I know Lady Halibel is too proud to ask it, I want to ask you myself... Will you help the Espada in destroying Lor-...I mean Aizen...?"

Ichigo stared at her before turning on his heel towards the entrance. He called out over his shoulder, "I'm gonna kill Aizen on my own! I don't need you Espada!"

"...But we need you...! Please, at least go and see them...!"

He stopped before leaving the doorway and turned back to the woman, who's hand slipped back onto her face to cover up her outburst.

"...Aizen fears you the most... Lady Halibel told me...that every meeting they've had since he escaped...was about capturing you... As much as the Espada want to kill him...I believe you are the only option..."

Ichigo stared at her before looking back at his Lieutenant. She stared at him for a moment before he asked her, "Cover for me while I go to the Human World...and go get Lieutenant Matsumoto."

Kiyone nodded and left without asking a question, much to Ichigo's surprise.

"...I swear I thought she would question me more... I was fully prepared to knock her out."

Ichigo then turned back to the olive-haired woman and deadpanned, "Who the hell are you, anyway?"

The woman did the same as she replied, "...It's Cyan Sung-Sun... Your lack of respect causes me distress."

"...And you're annoying... Stop covering your face up like that. It makes you look suspicious."

Again, she covered her face and drawled out, "Really now? I had no idea."

* * *

"Yo, Ichigo!"

"Yo."

Renji stopped in front of Ichigo, who walked past him without stopping. Renji looked down at Kiyone, who waved at him. After waving back at her, a green-haired woman, dressed in a Shihakusho with a slit upon her right leg, walked past and waved at him. He narrowed his eyes for a second before reaching out and grabbing Ichigo on the shoulder.

"Oi! Ichigo, who the hell is she!? I've never seen her before!"

Ichigo tossed his hand away and punched him in the gut before dragging him to the ground, bringing both into a fist fight.

"You're doing stupid shit again, Ichigo!"

"Mind your own fucking business!"

Kiyone and Sung-Sun sweatdropped until a deep voice was emitted behind them.

"Kurosaki, why are you harrassing my Lieutenant?"

Both of the girls jumped in fright and snapped their necks trying to see the tall Sixth Division Captain behind them. He narrowed his eyes when he stared at the green-haired woman and inquired, "Who are you? I have never seen you."

The Arrancar sweated under the Kuchiki's intense gaze before Ichigo walked past her and Kiyone, throwing both over his shoulder as he yelled, "It's Aizen business! I'll tell you and Sui-Feng when I get back!"

Byakuya watched as Ichigo ran off before turning back to Renji.

"...Is Kurosaki going to do something stupid?"

Renji rubbed the back of his neck in annoyance and replied, "Always."

* * *

"Orihime?"

She narrowed her eyes towards the ground as she thought to herself. Tatsuki grabbed her shoulder and repeated, "Orihime? Are you alright?"

"...My Hime-senses are tingling."

Tatsuki and Riruka stared at her in confusion. In a monstrous display of strength, Orihime punched into the stone cement below them, much to the other girls' surprise, and ripped something out.

"...It seems we are destined to be together, Orihime! If you were able to sense my presence, then that means our love will always lead us back together!"

Riruka and Tatsuki both deadpanned, "...Did she really stalk us from beneath the sewers...?"

The proud lesbian grinned and jumped out of Orihime's grasp and skidded back along the ground. She looked back at Orihime with a lecherous gaze as she dropped into a runner's stance. She took off with a war cry, screaming out, "Now lay on your back, lift those sexy thighs up, and spread them wide for me! Prepare for my Raiza Commando Mode! Raiza Missionary Sty-!"

Again, her face ran into Orihime's foot. She cried out, "...My lovely...Orihime... Why...can't you...accept fate...?" before she slid dramatically to the ground.

Orihime growled and continued to stomp her face into the ground as she shouted, "I'm into men! The muscles, the idiocy, and the whole goddamn package!"

Riruka deadpanned, "Is she always like this? One moment, she's sweet and naïve, and then she's hardcore and angsty the next..."

"...Pretty much... Hey, Orihime, cut it out. Don't kill her..."

Orihime huffed and turned away from Raiza as she rubbed her sore nose. She whined, "My nose is broken..."

Tatsuki frowned slightly as the woman continued to cry about her nose.

_'...Orihime completely curb-stomped her face in...and she only came out with a broken nose...?'_

Eventually, Tatsuki noticed the darkening clouds heading in their direction and commented, "Looks like it's gonna rain soon... We better go back home, Orihime..."

Tatsuki turned to walked away, stopping a distance away as she noticed Orihime wasn't following her. She called out, "...Oi, Orihime...! We gotta-"

"...I'm not...going back home... There's nothing there for me."

Tatsuki slowly turned around and narrowed her eyes at Orihime, who had turned towards Riruka.

"...You're...not coming back home? So you're going back to Xcution? Did you not pay attention to anything Ichigo did?"

Riruka erupted into anger as she screamed, "Hey! It's not our fault!"

Orihime frowned and asked, "You know...about Ichi-?"

Tatsuki interrupted and continued, "...Of course I know... I'm named after Mom's and Ichigo's best friend, after all... And I know that Ichigo was exactly like you... Living day-by-day, truly feeling bored and useless..."

"...I don't-"

Tatsuki interrupted again, "And then Xcution offered him an alternative to his own vigilante path... Ichigo changed once he became a part of Xcution... That's the same thing Dad has been trying to tell you, and that's what he wants... Eventually, you'll become just as power-hungry as Ichigo was..."

"I'm not! I won't do that! What I'm doing is to help people! I'm tryin-"

For the last time, Tatsuki interrupted as she turned on her heels, "...Ichigo once said the same thing, Orihime...then his friends led to his death... I don't want to intervene as well, Orihime."

She said nothing else as she walked away, and Orihime stared at her with watery eyes...

_...This isn't...vengeance... This is justice... It's completely different... I'm not some kind of monster... I... I want to help people...!_

Ichigo's words resonated in her mind as she watched Tatsuki's form become enveloped by the rain.

_...I haven't... It's not me... It's you all... All of you changed! There's nothing wrong with me!_

___**...Tatsuki...? Are...you leaving me...? Don't...don't abandon me...Tatsuki...! I'm not...!**_

_...I'm not some villain... I speak the truth... There's nothing but injustice in this rotten world... The losers wait on the bottom, while those on the top sit idly, watching as we struggle!_

_However, I won't allow this to continue! I will become a symbol of hope...! I will place the losers at the top of the food chain!_

"Orihime! Look out!"

Orihime woke from her stupor to notice that Tatsuki was pointing at something behind her. She turned around just as a blue light flashed in front her, causing her to close her eyes.

___'...A Quincy arrow!? Shit, I don't have time to-!'_

After seconds past by, she opened her eyes, wondering whether she had been hit or not. She was met with an eyesore of red, and realized Raiza stood in front of her.

"Raiza! You didn't... Oh my-!"

She heard a female voice speak from a distance away as she complained, "You missed, Driscoll. Are you ashamed of yourself for missing? Do you like when his Majesty is angry? Do you want to waste our time? Are you-?"

"Shut up, bitch! Stop questioning me! That was just a fluke!"

When Orihime grabbed Raiza by her shoulder, she noticed the woman was just as shocked as she was. However, she was still staring at something in front of her. Orihime looked down at her school clothes, noticing there was no blood on it.

"Wait... Raiza, did you even get hit?"

The girl said nothing as she continued staring behind her. Orihime turned around realizing that a Soul Reaper Captain stood in front of her. A lengthy black sheathe was strapped to his back, stopping near the back of his ankles. Its hilt was white with a black 'X' on it and the guard was a four-pronged symbol. What stood out to her to most was the orange-hair, spiked and slightly longer the last time she saw it, but the same nonetheless.

A blonde girl appeared behind her, holding both of the teenagers by their shoulders and announcing, "I'm sorry, but Captain Kurosaki's going to start a ruckus in this area... It would be best if you move, okay?"

* * *

___When she finally opened her eyes, she realized that she was okay...but the battered and broken body of the Soul Reaper on the ground was definitely not. His right sleeve and back was torn to shreds, and blood matted the ground around him. With a small gasp, she ran over to him as he attempted to move and yelled, "Are you okay!?"_

_ The Soul Reaper on the ground groaned, "Ah... Not really... That hurt like hell...but I'll have to...thank you for saving me, won't I?"_

_ The woman frowned as she crouched down to help him, though he only waved her away with a laugh. She finally replied, "No... You saved me... That explosion would have definitely killed me if you hadn't showed up..."_

_ "Heh... Don't sweat it... You saved me first, so I guess we're even..."_

_ She simply blinked at him, but shook her head and stated,"...I'm going to heal you now... Please try not to move...," and waved her hands over him, covering him an orange barrier._

_ After a few moments of awkward silence, he finally spoke out, "...But...that Hollow pushed me to the brink... The fact that you defeated her so easily...means you're not so normal either... Who are you?"_

_ She paused as she struggled to come up with an answer._

___ '...I can't tell him...everything about me... If he knew, he'd kill me...'_

_ As he waited, he finally heard the slight whisper from her lips._

_ "Orihime Inoue...," she softly spoke, leading him to look up at her in shock as something flashed in his mind. She then finished with, "...a human...that can see spirits."_

_ The Soul Reaper stared at her for a few moments before smiling as he collapsed back onto the gravel._

_ "...How shameful...being saved by a human... I'm gonna be the laughing stock of Soul Society when I return... Ikakku and Renji'll never let me live this one down..."_

_ Orihime frowned as she listened to him. Though she should have been offended by his comments, she could tell he was joking._

_ "...Regardless... I wonder what kinda powers you must have... I never knew humans could develop such abilities..."_

_ She woke from her stupor as she realized that he was still speaking to her. She hesitantly replied, "...My mother... I got them from my mother."_

_ "Heh... You get it from your momma, huh? She must have been quite the person..."_

_ Orihime giggled as she let the barrier fade away, and the two sat in silence. Eventually, the Soul Reaper spoke and said, "I really wish I could stay and chat with you a little longer...but I can sense a squad of Soul Reapers heading this way...including my Captain... I'll have to ask you to leave now before they steal your memories of tonight..."_

_ Eventually, she felt the incoming pressures, and stood to leave the area. Before she could move, she heard his voice speak again._

_ "Oi...the name's...Ichigo Kurosaki...a Soul Reaper... Maybe we can...meet again one day...under better circumstances?"_

_ She looked over her shoulder, noting the small grin etched under his sun-kissed, orange hair. She smiled in response and nodded as she turned back to run across the cemented ground._

* * *

"Ichigo...!? I can't believe you're...you're...!"

The orange-haired Soul Reaper looked over his shoulder as he noticed Orihime being pulled away by Kiyone as she reached to him. He looked at her and slightly waved at her.

"Yo."

Orihime deadpanned as she pulled away, and a slight tick appeared above her brow as she screamed, "What the hell!? After all this time of not seeing each other, that's all you can say!? 'Yo'!?"

"...It's only been like... a month..."

The woman growled as she threw Kiyone's hand away and stormed up next to Ichigo with her hands on her hips. Ichigo frowned at her before looking back at the Vandenreich soldiers above him.

"...Please stop looking at me like that... It's quite scary... Besides, we got more important things to worry about."

She followed his gaze towards the Vandenreich and removed her clips, allowing them to transform into her Fullbringer Bow.

"...Astral Rejection."

The four Quincy above them smirked as they looked down at the group. The skinniest one on the left, with the short hair and the jaguar prints on his body, chuckled, "...I guess the Lord was right... It seems this... 'Fullbring'...really is a mockery of our style... Let me get rid of the girl!"

_'So fast!'_

Orihime could barely keep with his movements as he dashed down at them. Before his dagger could pierce through her body, a flash of white appeared in her face.

_'My blade...didn't cut through him!?'_

"...What the...? You can't even cut me? How disappointing..."

Shaz Domino considered himself a powerful Stern Ritter, even if the others seemed to look down on him. He was known as the "T"...the "Tracker"! He never missed a target! He was not fodder, damnit!

"...Considering I've been following you guys since I dropped off Sung-Sun, I'm pretty pissed off..."

However, when his dagger stopped against the Soul Reaper's chest, he felt the whispering of defeat repeating in his mind. Ichigo sighed and reached over his back, unsheathing his new nodachi-based Zanpakuto.

"...Please don't relax yet, Quincy. I'm begging you...to dent this sword just a tiny bit, okay? Please?"

Shaz jumped back and created many Reishi knives between his fingers. He tossed them at Ichigo, who slashed them out of his way as the Quincy ran in for a sneak attack. Before he could reach him, however, he was immediately stopped in his tracks when a blade came down on his chest, causing him to collapse to his knees in front of Ichigo.

"What a boring end..."

* * *

Trivia:

-Ichigo's new Sealed Zanpakuto is simply a nodachi (The same kind of weapon Unohana and Zaraki carries). Length and size-wise, it's practically the same as Tensa Zangetsu, but with a longer hilt.

-Orihime's Fullbring, Astral Rejection, is named after an album from the American experimental band "I Set My Friends on Fire". The name is based on Orihime's rejection command and refers to the nature of Quincies being enemies against Soul Reapers (Astral is a term representing "out of body experiences".

To answer some of the questions;

-Ichigo has a portion of his Fullbring/Hollow powers inside, but it's similar to Ginjo's Bankai rather than a Visored. When he fought Aaroniero as using Orihime's body, Orihime's(Original) sealed powers from the Hogyoku returned the form he had taken to combat Tatsuki(Original). That form was the height of his Soul Reaper and Hollow merging, similar to him defeating Hollowfied Tensa Zangetsu to learn the Final Getsuga Tensho. Ichigo still has traces of it, but is incapable of speaking to his Inner Hollow nor use a Mask.

A small hint though: Whether I actually decide to bring Zangetsu to the story or not, note that he isn't the same as original... He's taken a new form similar to Hollowfied Tensa Zangetsu.

-Orihime's mostly rebelling by calling herself 'Inoue'. She relates to her mother more through the many stories she hears from her older brother. The more Uryu and the others tell her she is similar to her mother, the more she refers to herself as her mother's child.

-Juhabach's after Orihime(Original) because she knows where Ichigo's remains are. However, he doesn't know that the original is dead, but he does know that a woman calling herself 'Orihime Inoue'(Fiction) is still in Karakura.

-As I stated in one of the earlier Trivias, there were other selections besides Orihime (Rukia included), but the woman couldn't be from Soul Society. The person had to be of a different race and such to fit the Isshin(Soul Reaper)-Masaki(Quincy) mold.

-And I did word the 'unimportant' about Tosen incorrectly (I do like him as a character). I meant in relevancy to Ichigo. Tosen never meets Ichigo during canon except for two points:  
When Ichigo fights Aizen at the Sokyoku (and he's standing on the sideline) and when he takes Grimmjow away (and I don't remember him speaking to Ichigo).Other than mentioning him when he fought Komamura and Hisagi, he never really makes contact with Ichigo, whereas both Aizen and Gin fights Ichigo at two or more points. I meant that he would actually interact with Ichigo.


	19. Fated Opposition 2: Question Everything

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"...Tch... Driscoll, you goin' after the Soul Reaper?"

The large man looked over to his female comrade before grinning widely and replying, "Hell yeah! You and Haschwalth can take the small fry."

The other comrade, with long pale hair, sighed before turning away and moving to higher point. Driscoll looked over his shoulder before calling out, "You scared, Haschwalth!? This is gonna be great, don't cha know!?"

"I'd rather not. You can go ahead."

The large man smirked before turning back to the spot where Ichigo used to be. His eyes widened when he felt the Captain behind him, and he and Berenice turned their heads in shock.

"...I'm not interested in fodder. You... Haschwalth, is it?"

The blonde blinked in response as he was called, raising an eyebrow as Ichigo stepped closer to him.

"...Yes... I'd advise you not to walk past Driscoll like that... He's quite unforgiving... There's a reason he's called the 'Overkill'."

Just as he spoke, Ichigo turned and raised his sword to block the over-sized spear of the Stern Ritter, causing them both to clash and release a shockwave across the building.

"Fodder, am I!? You've been mistaken, boy! I'm the big daddy boss of this little squad!"

Ichigo grunted under the force as he was pushed back, glaring at the man from underneath his bangs.

"...So it's gonna be you, huh? Well, I leave the woman to you, Orihime."

The girl on the ground nodded and turned her attention to the woman with the dark bangs. The Quincy smirked before flashing on the ground directly in front of her.

"I hope you'll make this fun for me. I hate fighting weak opponents...don't you? Don't you get infuriated when they talk all bad and stuff, but they're really worth nothing? Don't you just want to punch them?"

Orihime frowned and replied, "Yeah. You're doing that right now. Shut up."

The Stern Ritter laughed in response, "Really? Do you really think I'm the type of person to stop talking? Do I look like the quiet-type to you? Do I infuriate you with my words?"

"I don't know about Orihime, but you're pissing me the fuck off!"

Berenice frowned and tilted her head over as a javelin of light flew past her face. She looked behind Orihime as Tatsuki tossed a javelin in her hand.

"...You...? Who the hell are you, brat?"

Tatsuki smirked and reared back to toss another one.

"...Me? I'm the daughter of Orihime Inoue and Uryu Ishida... Tatsuki Ishida... Remember my name, 'cause I'm the bitch that's gonna kill ya... _Sturmreihe._"

Berenice jumped to the air as the javelin exploded beneath her. She swiftly turned and brought her elbow down on Orihime, who attempted to sneak behind her.

"Tch...You failed to capitalize on the opening your daughter made, Inoue. You fail."

_'My what...!?'_

_ Because of you...Juhabach still believes 'Orihime's' alive._

Orihime flipped and landed next to Tatsuki.

"You must be mistaken... I'm not th-"

Before she could say more, Tatsuki brought her elbow down on her head, sending her to the ground as she whispered, "Shut up, idiot. Just stay there and be quiet."

The girl groaned in pain, wondering why her sister knocked her to the ground. Tatsuki stepped forward, rolling her shoulders to take off her uniform jacket and wrapped it around her waist.

"I've never fought a Quincy other Dad and Sora... To use your own words... 'I hope you'll make this fun for me'..."

Berenice smirked and held her hand out, watching as a flash of blue appeared in it.

"...You seem pretty focused, I'll give you that... I'm Berenice Gabrielli, the 'Q' of the Stern Ritter. The Q stands for 'the Question'... My abilities force you to question and doubt yourself..."

Tatsuki blinked and deadpanned, "That's a lame-ass ability..."

Berenice pouted and asked, "Do you really think so? Do you really think it sucks? Is that what you believe? Are you absolutely positive?"

Tatsuki shook her head and screamed, "Shut the hell up!"

_...Do you really think you can hide all of those openings?_

Before she could attack Berenice, a large cut appeared on Tatsuki's shoulder, causing her to cry out.

"...You see, my ability is working... My ability is the ultimate mind game... I can make you question yourself... I can make my own questions and transfer them to you... I can see everything you question about life... 'Will she discover my true intentions...? Can I really protect Orihime? This woman is powerful...I should tread carefully...but what if I slip up? Can I..really hide all of those openings'?"

Tatsuki groaned as she rolled away, and Berenice taunted, "You're afraid of me, Tatsuki Ishida... You question your own victory... I guess we'll find the answer to that soon enough, huh? Don't cha think, missy?"

* * *

"Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic, pathetic, pathetic, pathetic, pathetic! This is so sad, Captain! Doesn't it suck to be so weak!?"

Ichigo stood a slight distance away from various wounds across his body.

"You're supposed to be the elite of Soul Society, and you claim to be disappointed!? You're telling me!"

The Captain rolled his shoulders as he stood back at his full height. He stabbed the blade into the ground as he panted.

"Lemme guess... You're takin' it easy on me because you're worried about Haschwalth!? I told you I was the strongest here! If you don't put your all into it, you'll die!"

Ichigo smirked and replied, "I can see that... Well... Let's give it a shot then... Oi, big guy... Keep your eye on the light...and don't let it past you by..."

Driscoll Berci's head tilted in confusion as Ichigo held up his Zanpakuto and shouted, "_Flash, Zangetsu!_"

The large man stood unfazed as the explosive faded in front of him. When it cleared, Ichigo held his large blade on his shoulder.

* * *

Haschwalth blinked as he turned back to the battle with Driscoll and Ichigo. When he witnessed Ichigo's Shikai, he frowned due to its difference from the Daten.

"...When he was alive...the blade was definitely larger..."

Zangetsu was still just as long as it usually was, and still lacked a proper hilt. However, the blade wasn't as wide as his original Shikai. The blade was also black, and it curved over his fist like a cutlass. The hilt's chain wrapped tightly around his wrist. He watched as he used that chain to twirl his Zanpakuto around like a lasso before tossing it forward.

"...So you're just going to stand there, girl? You're not going to help your Captain nor the humans?"

Kiyone stood on the other side of the building, with a shocked Raiza still next to her. She looked down at the human before replying, "I'm doing my job. I have the human under my protection, and I'm here in case my Captain needs me... I'm not required to help Quincy and Fullbringers."

Hashwalth clicked his tongue and turned back to the battle.

"You're quite anxious, Soul Reaper...but Your Majesty isn't interested in you, so neither am I."

* * *

Driscoll smirked and dodged to the side as Ichigo continued tossing the flail-like weapon. After rolling to the side once more, he watched as Ichigo went back to swinging it.

"You tryin' to test the waters or somethin'? Stop being a coward and fight me!"

After a while of Ichigo's twirling, Zangetsu began flaring blue and white, much to the Quincy's surprise.

"_Getsuga Tensho...Ranbu_!"

A large, manji shaped blast was released, flying towards the large man like a disc. He jumped to the air to avoid it, and was unprepared for the Captain appearing above him.

_'Too fast... I can't-!'_

"Chiretsu Hogeki!"

Just as Ichigo brought his blade down from above him, Driscoll activated his spirit weapon, which were a pair of bands on his knuckles, and punched towards Zangetsu, covering both in a large explosion of blue and white.

* * *

_**...We were young...things were never like this... Back then...it was just me… Tatsuki... Sora... Father... and Mom...**_

_ "Lil' Hime, what are you doing?"_

_ The little girl gurgled happily as her mother held her with a hand. With the other, she pulled Tatsuki along, as the little girl wanted to walk for herself._

_ "I wanna walk too, Mommy!"_

_ The older woman smiled and placed her daughter on the ground, watching as she struggled to keep with Tatsuki, though she continued to try._

_**Tatsuki... For as long as I could remember, Tatsuki has watched over me, beating away bullies, potential boyfriends...and girlfriends, and always looked after me... It was annoying really, but I never once hated her for it.**_

_"Get offa her!"_

_ The boy grabbing at her hair suddenly found a foot embedded in his jaw as he was kicked away._

_ "...Kicked...by a...four-year-old... How...embarrassing..."_

_ Tatsuki growled and flexed her muscles, announcing, "And I'll embarrass you again if you and your friends ever bother 'Hime!"_

_ The boy and his friends ran as Tatsuki moved to check on Orihime._

_ "Are you alright...?"_

_ The younger twin sniffled and replied, "...The kids were making fun of my hair..."_

_ "...Please don't worry about it, Lil' Hime... I'm here now, okay?"_

_ Tatsuki turned around as their mother appeared behind them, reaching her arms out to Orihime. The girl's tears dropped instantly as she dove into her mother's arms._

_**If someone hurt me...Tatsuki would be there to beat him up... When Tatsuki was hurt, Sora was there to beat them up... When all was said and done, Mother was the one to cry to when it was all over...**_

_** ...Our world revolved around her. Father was less of an ass... I wasn't as rebellious... I have no doubt...if my mother hadn't died that day... I would have never raised my fist up in defense...or to kill...**_

_Orihime was confused. The only thing she knew was that her father had forced her and Tatsuki into the car and drove to the hospital. When they arrived, Uryu ran over to Sora, who blankly stared at the wall._

_ "...Sora! Sora, what happened!? Are you alright!?"_

_ The boy simply stared at his father, and he suddenly went into a fit, yelling out, "The Hollow, father! The Hollow! He killed mother! He killed mother!"_

_ The only thing Orihime could register was the fact that Mother was no longer with them..._

_**Before she died...Mother had always told us...that she named each of us after the closest people in her life... But I always wondered why I was named after her.**_

_"...Because when I held you in the infirmary... Your sister, dark and pale, never cried once...you, bright and gleaming, never stopped crying... I knew that your sister would always protect you, just as my friend Tatsuki did for me... Your older brother, Sora, will protect you as he did for me."_

_ The little girl frowned, and her mother asked, "What's wrong, Lil' hime?"_

_ "...Will...everyone simply protect me all the time...? What if I want to fight for myself...?"_

_ The older woman smiled and patted her child on the head as she responded, "...You could always be stronger... You're an independent little girl, Orihime, and I have no doubt you could do great things in life..."_

_ "...So...I could be just as strong as Tatsuki? And Sora?"_

_ Her mother simply smiled and nodded. At that moment, she reach into her hair and removed something before clipping it to Orihime's hair._

_ "I've given you the key to the door in front of you. There's no need to know the cause. No need for sorrow or sadness. What comes next is up to you. You can use your keys to open the door...or lock it tight. And if you do choose to open it...you can still decide not to pass through."_

_**I never knew what she meant... I was only four at the time... However... After she died, I realized...that I couldn't sit there and wait for Tatsuki... I couldn't wait for Sora... I stopped believing in Father... and I too, realized the same thing, Ichigo...**_

_If they won't, then I will... If fate was cruel enough to take my mother away and give me the power to protect others at the same time, then that's what I'll do.____.._

_**To hell with anyone that disagrees...**_

* * *

"Tatsuki!"

The teenager skidded back towards Orihime as the Quincy kicked her back again.

"Did you know that you were so weak? Did you know I overestimated you at first? Do you know how angry I am at the fact that you've disappointed me?" Berenice growled, and then pointed at her own unhappy face and said, "Does this look like the face of a happy camper?"

Tatsuki growled and said, "All of these goddamned questions are pissing me off! Sturmreihe!"

_Do you really think it's gonna hit her?_

She tossed another javelin, which was promptly dodged.

"These are the questions that ruin a warrior... When I have direct access to your conscious, I can break down even the heaviest warrior... Which is sad...because I've already questioned both of you... Do you really think both of you stand a chance against with your reactions lowered? Do you really?"

"If that's the case, then why don't you try me on for size?"

Both Tatsuki and Sora froze up as the masculine voice appeared behind them. They both turned around slowly, and was shocked when Sora Ishida appeared behind them dressed in a white suit similar to their father.

"Guess that Riruka's good for something... Looks like she found me just in time."

Suddenly, the man disappeared from sight, and Berenice grunted as her stomach sucked in from the force of his kick. She growled and attempted to strike him with her spirit weapon, which was a military saber.

"No way."

His hand grabbed at her wrist and flipped over her, bring his foot down on her skull and creating large cracks in the ground. Berenice was completely shocked, as she could feel the painful cracking of her dome. Waterfalls of blood poured from the wound as she was knocked to the ground. She angrily glared up to the cocky man above her.

"...You gotta stop fighting back... If you keep trying, you're gonna make me ruin the town... Just be still and die, woman."

Berenice scowled in pain and anger and jumped back towards him, yelling out, "Do you really think so little of me!? You think you can-?"

She was cut off as he gripped her blade, cracking it in his hand before rearing his hand back.

"Those type of questions don't work on me. I'm not really thinking about anything, and I let my body move on natural instinct."

Just as quickly as he said that, Berenice was sent back towards the ground, crashing into it with a force that was never felt before. He slowly sauntered over to her, and she slid back in fear.

_'...This man...everything about him is human...but it doesn't feel like that at all! Why is he so powerful!? How can he defeat my Blut like it's nothing!?'_

"Y-you freak! What are you...!? Why do you keep coming closer...!? What do you want from me!?"

Sora smirked as her back pressed against the wall.

"...Whoa, my type of woman right here... You're asking all of the right questions... But I'm not gonna kill you... I gotta kidnap you, okay?"

Berenice could only manage, "What!?" before she was knocked unconscious by his foot stomping her into the wall. He turned back around and blinked as Tatsuki and Orihime's jaws dropped.

"...What? I trained as a Quincy, too. Dad taught me some things."

Tatsuki blinked and yelled, "You beat that Quincy up with your bare hands...in less than a minute! What kinda shit is that!?"

"...Hehe, I'm just that good. A hero's gotta act in under three minutes, ya know?"

* * *

When the smoke had cleared from Ichigo's attack, Driscoll Berci's entire right arm was worn down from defending himself from Zangetsu. He grunted as he watched it wobble without remorse.

However, Ichigo's Shikai had broken, being cut off from slightly above the hilt, as the blade had flown off elsewhere. He held his blade out and called out, "_Ban...kai...!_"

Unbeknownst to him, Driscoll had smirked, as the moment he had been waiting for finally came. His left hand crept into his jacket as he began to withdraw a medallion, which he aimed at Ichigo as soon as the Captain finished his transformation.

"Tensa Zang-"

Ichigo was cut off as he felt his coat disappear from his body, alongside his sword. His eyes widened as he looked down at his normal clothing.

"Oi, Zangetsu! What the hell just happened!?"

However, there was no response. After a second longer, he asked again, "Zangetsu?"

"Hahaha! I'm glad you finally decided to use it! Now we can get to the real fun!"

Ichigo looked up as the man continued to point the medallion at him, and he frowned and asked, "What the fuck did you do!?"

Driscoll smirked maniacally and responded, "I took away your only hope at winning...! Bankai...!"

Ichigo's eyes widened as he felt the release of his own Bankai. Before he could react properly, he felt the blade of Tensa Zangetsu pierce through his body from behind him.

"...Heh, I'm loving this speed! Thanks, Kurosaki! I'm gonna use your Bankai to crush everybody! This is-"

Ichigo felt the blade disintegrate from his body as the man was suddenly cut off. He felt the blood splatter on his neck and back as Ichigo fell to his knees in shock.

_'What just...?'_

He knew the man behind him had been cut down, but didn't know who was responsible until he looked up to the sky...

...and Sosuke Aizen stood above, watching him with slight interest as he held his bloody Kyoka Suigetsu in his outstretched hand.

* * *

Trivia:

-Most of Berenice's abilities were designed to parallel As Nodt's. I feel that someone who questions and doubts their abilities is probably afraid and paranoid.

-The flashback wasn't really random, but hinted to Sora's appearance along with something else.

-Ichigo's Hollow powers had merged with his Soul Reaper powers, so he's a normal Soul Reaper, which means his Bankai is capable of being stolen... though he won't let that happen again.

-'Sturmreihe'(Forward Line) is a Soccer reference, and represents Tatsuki's love for sports. Basically, like the actual term in soccer, it's an all-out explosive attack. Her using Javelins as her weapons is also a sports reference.


	20. Preparations

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach

Kill the Moonlight

"...You look slightly troubled... Ichigo Kurosaki..."

Ichigo stared up in disbelief as his former Captain stood above him. The man smirked before pointing behind him, where he turned and noticed Driscoll Berci standing up slowly. He glared at both Ichigo and Aizen before growling, "Sosuke Aizen...the other war potential... I'll kill both of you!"

"That's enough."

Before Driscoll could toss his Heilig Pfiel, a hand held him back, stunning him as it pulled his weight back. Ichigo looked over to Haschwalth as the blonde pulled the large Quincy away single-handedly.

"...We're done here, Driscoll... Berenice has been captured already and we don't stand a chance against Aizen and Kurosaki together. Let's go."

The large man protested as he attempted to escape Haschwalth's grasp, but the lithe man tugged harder, popping his shoulder out of socket as the he cried out, "Shit! Da fuck was that for!?"

Haschwalth narrowed his eyes as he repeated, "Let's go. I don't have time to waste on losers."

"Wait! I'm not letting you get away!"

Haschwalth turned back as Ichigo dashed towards him, intending to take him out. The Soul Reaper stopped as his sealed Zanpakuto snapped like a twig, and Haschwald sheathed his sword.

"...We will come back for you, Ichigo Kurosaki... If His Majesty orders it, I shall be the one to take you back by force..."

With that, he created a dark, shadowy portal and dragged the struggling Quincy inside of it. Ichigo sat and watched patiently before he felt a presence behind him and was reminded that Aizen hadn't left. He twisted around as Aizen stood behind him, watching the portal close in. He raised an eyebrow and commented, "...Interesting."

"What the hell are you doing here, traitor!? First the Soul Reapers, and now the Arrancars!? Pick a fucking team already!"

Aizen jumped slightly as if he remembered Ichigo was still there. He looked over to him with bored eyes and commented, "They're still alive? I told Gin and Tosen to eliminate all of them... Oh well.."

He turned on his heel and walked away, much to Ichigo's anger as he screamed out, "Hey! I'm still talking to-"

"...You should stop worrying about me. You've got more important things to worry about."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes and asked, "What do you mean...?"

The former Captain paced around Ichigo, staring out into space as he answered, "...There are new variables in this game of cat and mouse, Kurosaki. That variable is keen on getting what it wants...which is you."

The current Captain watched him pace around, asking, "And why does he want me?"

Aizen turned as he slyly watched Ichigo and stated, "...You'll find out soon enough... Try to stay alive so I don't have to watch over you all the time Ichigo Kurosaki... I'd hate for Juhabach to capture my prize before its ready..."

Aizen smirked and shattered into glass as Kiyone dove through him. She flipped and tumbled, finally coming to a stop at Ichigo's feet and looked up at him apologetically.

"Sorry, Captain Kurosaki... I tried..."

Ichigo sighed and looked down towards the group where Orihime was waving to him. He looked over his shoulder at Kiyone and replied, "It's alright... He wouldn't have let you catch him off guard like that anyway."

* * *

"...So I see you've become a Captain... I was worried that you'd gotten in trouble that day..."

Ichigo chuckled and replied, "No way... The old man wouldn't get rid of me...," as he walked next to Orihime. As he neared the group of Humans, he noted that each of them froze when they saw his Soul Reaper robes. Orihime rushed ahead towards the group, yelling out, "Guys! This is the Soul Reaper I met, Ichigo!"

Kiyone sweatdropped and whispered, "The Captain has fans...? There's nothing about him that's remotely interesting except his hair."

Ichigo crossed his arms in his sleeves as he replied, "You're such a hater, Kiyone. You need to learn to love more."

The small Lieutenant puffed up as Ichigo waved and called out, "Behold! Humans, I come in peace!"

Everyone in the group sweatdropped and rubbed their cheeks awkwardly as Ichigo held his arms out like a religious figure. Sora shook his head as he walked up to him, Berenice thrown over his shoulder.

"So, uh, Captain... Mind carrying this body back to our house? We gotta-"

Sora cried out as Tatsuki grabbed his ear, squeezing it tightly as she growled, "No! Have you forgotten that-?"

"It doesn't matter. We already know."

Ichigo turned on his heel as three dark-haired men walked behind him. One, dressed as a Soul Reaper, stared at him with an expression of deep sorrow, the other stared at him with one of disbelief. The bespectacled man in the middle stared at him with annoyance written on his face.

"...Tch, Kurosaki... You shouldn't have come here."

The Captain stared at him and called out, "Who the hell are you?" which caused the three men to sweatdrop. The dark-haired man in the black jacket groaned, "...We gotta explain this shit all over again?"

The Soul Reaper sighed, "Guess so... Ichigo, you're gonna have to come with us... Bring your Lieutenant along if you like... However, the rest of you can't come."

"...Captain?"

Ichigo looked over at Kiyone, shrugging as he motioned for her to follow. He placed his hands in his sleeves as he walked behind them. Orihime frowned as she watched, but followed her siblings back to their home.

* * *

"You!?"

"You...?"

Ichigo angrily pointed at the blonde man in the pinstripe hat and black haori, recognizing him when he bumped into him before fighting the Arrancar woman.

"I knew you were a liar! I thought it was weird that a Human could see me so easily!"

Kisuke Urahara grinned and replied, "That's cause I'm not a Human... I'm a Soul Reaper..."

"...Kisuke Urahara...?"

The man looked over to the short Lieutenant as she pointed at him in fear and sighed, "So you recognize me, do ya...?"

Ichigo's surprise showed clearly on his face as he remembered.

_"...Mayuri Kurotsuchi... Byakuya Kuchiki...and Sui Feng... So you were the three keeping tabs on me...? Did Urahara ask you all to protect Ichigo from me...?"_

_ Mayuri Kurotsuchi, lacking his usual make-up and headdress, ruffled his blue hair as he held Aizen's gaze with his golden eyes._

_ "Don't mention that bastard in my presence... I don't follow his orders."_

_ The short woman next to him agreed, "My eyes and ears only serve Lady Yoruichi. A cold wind would blow in hell before I ever take orders from Kisuke Urahara."_

"So...You're..."

_ "...Not really... I can tell you only told me the bare minimum... Am I going to have to find this... Kisuke Urahara myself?"_

_ She turned away and began to walk off as she called out, "...When the time comes... Soon, the war will be taken to the Human World, and that's where you'll probably meet him..."_

"So you're the one responsible for the Captains that saved me..."

A feminine voice interrupted, "Yes... It seems Little Bee and Byaku did a good job... I'm surprised Kurotsuchi actually kept his word."

Ichigo turned around as a dark-skinned woman entered the room, followed by another man with blonde hair and a lazy expression. Kiyone's eyes widened as she pointed to the two and stuttered. Ichigo looked over at his Lieutenant and asked, "What's wrong?"

"...Ca-Captain Shihoin and Hirako!?"

The blonde's bottom lip dropped lower in boredom as he replied, "Don't call me that anymore. I'm not a Captain, idiot."

Ichigo eyes narrowed seriously as he commented, "So you all...after that shit went down forever ago, you all escaped... You guys are exactly the people I wanted to find."

Yoruichi Shihoin smirked as she sat in a nearby seat and called out, "Really now? Sui-Feng told me that you would be searching for us, but I didn't think you would be as dumb as to leave the Soul Society in such a manner. Does the Head-Captain know you're here?"

Ichigo rubbed his neck awkwardly as he looked away and grumbled, "I didn't want to come here, actually... Aizen killed most of his Arrancar, and I was returning one of his strays back to the others..."

The dark-haired Soul Reaper Captain frown and repeated, "He killed his own army?"

Looking over his shoulder at the Captain, he nodded before turning back to the others, whose expressions darkened as they listened. After a few silent moments, he turned back to the Soul Reaper and asked, "Are you another one of the Visored?"

The man jumped as he was realized Ichigo was talking to him. He looked away while mumbling, "...Um... No...Actually...I-"

Kisuke interrupted as he announced, "...Nevermind that now... If Aizen's discarded this army, then he has new plans... Ichigo, I'm going to have to ask you to return to Soul So-"

"No."

Everyone in the room paused as they each turned to Ichigo, their eyebrows raised. The dark-haired man grabbed Ichigo's shoulder and said, "You should go ba-"

Ichigo shrugged the man's hand away as he narrowed his eyes towards everyone in the room. He repeated, "No. I'm not leaving... Not until I get my answers."

"...You're just as demanding as you've always been, Kurosaki. Do as you're told."

Two dark-haired men entered the shop. Ichigo glared at the bespectacled man before replying, "_This_ is exactly the answer I seek."

"What?"

Ichigo spun around the entire room as he announced, "Each and everyone of you know me. You all speak about me as if I've known you all my entire life... You knew me when I was alive... As far as I'm concerned, Aizen wants me on his side, and you all want me as an ally as well... Otherwise, Captain Feng and the others wouldn't have protected me... So what makes you all any better than Aizen?"

The dark man with the fur jacket frowned and growled out, "Did you really just compare us to Aizen? We're trying to help you-"

"So you can use me as a weapon against Aizen... Both of you have been leading me on and controlling my life from the sidelines... I'm not going to be a puppet for Aizen, nor will I become one for you all... So before I leave, I want you all to tell me everything you know... That way, I can decide, before I leave this shop..._whether I should kill you all after Aizen or now._"

Shinji Hirako's own expression darkened as he commented, "You think you're pretty slick, don't you...? You have no idea what you're doing."

Ichigo's hand reached over Kiyone's head as he pulled her closer to him and said to her, "There's no way I'll be able to escape a room full of Captain-leveled enemies... I'll have to ask you run back to the Old Man..."

The Lieutenant stared at him with something akin to fear as he gave his order. The other Soul Reaper stood to his feet and announced, "Now, there's no need for all of that. Lieutenant Kotetsu, I need you to stay... And Ichigo, we brought you here...because we're going to tell you everything... We're not going to make the same mistake we did before."

Ichigo's gripped never loosened from Kiyone as he inquired, "The...same mistake...?"

The man moved in front of him, crossing his arms inside of his sleeves and looking down at Ichigo.

"...Your father is going to tell you a bed-time story, Ichigo... I suggest you listen up."

* * *

"She's not talking."

Tatsuki rolled her eyes and mumbled, "That's a surprise. She wouldn't shut the hell up when I fought her."

Orihime sighed and fell back against her sofa as she heard nearing footsteps. She turned as Ichigo walked into the room. Upon seeing him, she excitedly jumped to her feet to greet him, though stopped at his dejected appearance.

"...Ichigo?"

The Captain looked down at her sadly before sighing, "Yo."

Orihime's wide, bubbly eyes blinked in worry as he stepped past her towards the room with Berenice.

"...Did they tell you everything...?"

Ichigo stopped on his way to the room, but didn't turn around.

"...So you know...? About the fact that I thought I was trying to find the fuckers responsible for the murders...just to find out that I was one of them? That most of the shit that's happening now is because of me...? I hate it... It means Unohana was right..."

_"This area is Muken... This is the absolute deepest place in the Soul Society, and is where the big time criminals reside... People like me, at one point...and people like you."_

_ "...What? You and me?"_

_ She chuckled and replied, "Yes, me... The first Kenpachi, Yachiru Unohana... and you, the Substitute Soul Reaper from thirty years ago."_

_ Ichigo's eyes widened as he mumbled, "How... How did yo-?"_

_ She smiled, though he couldn't see, and replied, "It's suspicious, isn't it? You came to Soul Society in the garbs of a Soul Reaper. You were a Soul Reaper before you even entered the Academy and graduated. You were the Fourth Seat of the Second Division soon after, and then moved to the Fifth Division as the Third Seat... In less than thirty years, you have learned and understood your Bankai, and became a Captain."_

_ Ichigo was frightened as she slowly turned her head towards him, and her dark smirk was augmented by the crawling darkness that overshadowed her face. She continued, "...I've heard it from Aizen himself... He fears your power, and that he is interested in studying you... So I wondered about you, Ichigo Kurosaki... What is so special about you?"_

_ He took a step back as she turned around completely, revealing the gruesome scar above her chest, and commented, "I wondered if you were the man behind the Thirteenth Division's murders..."_

_ Ichigo blinked and quickly denied, "What!? Hell no! That was the Hollow! I disco-!"_

_ Her brows furrowed in sick amusement as she interrupted, "Those murders started thirty years ago... Coincidence, huh? That you were moved to Soul Society as a Soul Reaper, and over a hundred Soul Reapers were murdered around that time... You are just as much a criminal as I, Ichigo Kurosaki, whether you know it or not."_

"...If anyone at Soul Society was to find out..," Ichigo sighed again, turning around completely as he finished, "I'm just lucky that Kiyone promised not to say anything..."

Orihime's head tilted to her side as she replied, "Soul Society wouldn't punish you for something you did while you were alive, would they?"

Ichigo shrugged and turned back to the room as he commented, "...I don't fucking know... Soul Society does whatever the hell is convenient for them..."

The teenager frowned as she continued walking alongside him. Ichigo opened the door, grimacing at the bloodied woman sitting in the middle of the room. Blood, dripping water, and wooden splinters complimented the movie-like scene.

"...Do you guys practice kidnapping or something? Is this the rape room?"

Orihime smiled and replied, "Nope! We just watch a lot of T.V.!"

Ichigo blinked as she pumped her fist in the air and shook his head, turning back towards the woman sitting in the chair. She had awoken upon Ichigo's arrival and began pleading...or questioning...

"Are you going to take me back to Soul Society!? Am I going to be imprisoned!? Am I going to be raped!? Will you let me go if I flash my-!?"

Ichigo blinked in annoyance and yelled out, "Shut up!" before she could continue. Sadly, that didn't deter her from her begging.

"Will you lemme go if I sleep with you!? Please!? I'll be a good wife, okay!? I'm really good with my tongue an-"

Ichigo frowned and kicked the legs of her chair, causing her to fall hard against the bloodied floor. He growled out, "Of course you're good with your tongue! You won't shut the fuck up!"

The woman quieted down instantly as she looked up at Ichigo with frightened eyes. He looked down at her with something akin to annoyance.

"...I'm just here to find out what Juhabach is planning, besides coming after Orihime and me... I have no intentions of taking you back."

Berenice's eyes widened as she stared down at his feet, mumbling something low.

"...Come again?"

She looked up angrily at him and screamed, "I don't fucking know! The last thing I remember was preparing for some invasion! I wasn't able to return to base and get the details!"

"What? What invasion? Of Karakura town?"

She growled and repeated, "I don't fucking know! Do I have to repeat myself for you again!? Did you not hear me the first time!? Are you-?"

She was cut off as a pipe slammed into the back of her head. He looked up as Tatsuki tossed the pipe in her hand.

"What? I didn't think you wanted to listen to that, 'cause I definitely didn't."

A voice from outside of the room cut them off, "What are you all doing in the rape room?"

Ichigo looked over his shoulder to Uryu and yelled, "That's sick! Why the hell would you actually call it that!?"

"...I didn't... My wife built it, and that's what she called it..."

* * *

"Oi, Kiyone... Is the report filled out?"

The short woman nodded before moving to Ichigo's side. He turned back to the other occupants of the room before announcing, "...I still don't trust you all... But thanks for telling me that... I don't feel as lost as I did before..."

Uryu clicked his tongue before leaning back into the wall and commenting, "Don't make this sappy, Kurosaki. Just don't fuck up."

"Yeah, yeah... Whatever, Uryu..."

As he turned away from the Quincy, he found himself face-to-face with Isshin Kurosaki. They stared at each other seriously for a few moments before Ichigo turned away, mumbling, "...Isshin...I mean...um...Dad... I-"

Before Ichigo could realize what was happening, Isshin dug his elbow into Ichigo's cheek, yelling out, "Gotcha', Ichigo! You gotta do better than that to keep up with your old man!"

Ichigo flew back, crashing hard into the pavement, much to Kiyone's shock. The elder man laughed until a foot slammed into his face, courtesy of Ichigo.

"What kind of father attacks his own son!?"

Isshin flew back much farther, crashing into many buildings along the way. Ichigo stood, huffing in anger as he watched his father disappear. Orihime whistled as Isshin soared away and commented, "That's pretty far..."

Ichigo crossed his arms in his sleeves and turned away, taunting, "He should've seen that one coming..."

He suddenly became aware that he was being watched, and turned back to Orihime as he stared at him. He blinked and grunted, "Whatcha starin' at?"

"...Are you gonna come back? Maybe when something normal is going on...?"

Ichigo clicked his tongue and stated, "Tch, this_ is_ normal for me... But maybe when this is all dead and gone... I'll come hang around...someday..."

He blinked as he noticed her widening smile. Wondering what had made her so happy, he looked over at Kisuke to avoid the awkwardness and asked, "So what are you gonna do now?"

The man frowned, replying, "Aizen's plans are pretty much blank to us right now... I think we better focus on keeping you away from Juhabach now..."

As soon as he spoke, a Senkaimon appeared behind Ichigo, and a voice spoke from within the bright light.

"Captain Kurosaki. Lieutenant Kotetsu. You must return to Soul Society immediately. A situation has occurred."

Ichigo and Kiyone turned as two Soul Reaper Captains walked out of the Senkaimon. One of them was tall, wearing sunglasses and sporting a small mustache. The other was short, with white hair and a turquoise scarf.

"...Captain Iba, Captain Hitsugaya? What are you talking about? What happened?"

Toshiro looked down at his feet before sighing. He looked back at Ichigo and informed, "...The Vandenreich invaded Soul Society and declared war... Lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe...is dead..."


	21. Final Solution 1: Broken Family

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"...I want all Captains to prepare for a high-leveled invasion... If these Quincy were able to slip by our defenses so easily...then we mustn't let this happen again. You are all dismissed."

On Yamamoto's request, the Captains filed out of the room silently. When Ichigo walked out of the door to the First Division, he was compelled to look up towards the burning coffin resting on the pedestal. The remnants of Chojiro Sasakibe. He sighed as he felt someone walk next to him.

"...Enemies who can steal Bankai? That's unbelievable... Especially after they've taken out such a high-class fighter."

Ichigo looked over at Shuhei as the Captain flexed his visible arms, popping his shoulder while he stared at the funeral pyre.

"...I know... And these bastards could attack us at any moment..."

Both turned as a feminine voice called out, "Both of you should be ready, then... This is not a drill, and no one shall be spared."

Unohana, Jushiro, and Shunsui stood behind them, watching the lonesome flames flicker into the air. Shunsui closed his eyes, rubbing them with his thumbs as he asked, "...You made contact with the enemy, didn't you, Captain Kurosaki?"

Ichigo looked back at the senior Captain and replied, "...Four of them... I...killed two...and the other two got away... I never figured out what they were looking for..."

He couldn't tell them. Not that these Quincy are most definitely after his human remains... That he was the reason for this attack...or that he had a Quincy locked up in some girl's house.

Jushiro sighed, his head falling down and revealing his weariness. Shuhei turned back to Ichigo and asked, "What were you doing in the Human world again, anyway? And with Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin?"

Ichigo blinked before replying, "...I read about someone in one of the previous Captain's diaries... Aizen and Kisuke Urahara... I wanted to see for myself... I thought I could come back before I got into too much trouble..."

The skeptical expressions on each individual's face alerted Ichigo to the fact that neither of them believed him, but he was glad that they didn't press the issue.

* * *

"Orihime! Lemme getta taste of dem' sweet, sweet muffins!"

Orihime frowned as she dropped-kicked Raiza before she could touch her "sweet, sweet muffins". As the girl crashed into a nearby locker, Orihime couldn't help but think, _'It seems she still didn't change much after seeing what happened yesterday.'_

After Raiza woke and was consequently given the explanation about the afterlife, she accepted it and moved on, chasing Orihime with just as much vigor as before.

_'Damn, I thought that would have scared her to death...'_

Orihime shook her head as she and Tatsuki walked around the twitching girl, heading towards their next class.

"...Tch, the guy's only been gone for a day, Orihime... Stop looking like someone pissed in your rice..."

The teenager jumped and turned to her twin, mumbling, "I'm...I'm not mad... I just..."

"He said he would come back. Damn you and your clingy men."

Orihime frowned and balled up her fist as she retorted, "I'm not pining over Ichigo! I'm just worried...especially if the Quincy are after me..."

Tatsuki stared at her with a blank, but knowing expression as she suggested,"...I bet Ichigo would be there to save you."

"Gah! Stop bringing up Ichigo!"

* * *

"...Heeelllloooo, stuuuddeennntss! Welcome to class today! You probably are wondering, 'What happened to Ryoka-sensei?' but he isn't here anymore! He quit!"

Orihime, Riruka, and Tatsuki stared at the teacher in disbelief. She had wavy, tan-colored hair tied into two ponytails. A red clip rested on the front of her hair. Raiza, however, was focus solely on her breasts, which were similar in size to Orihime's.

"I have replaced him! You may call me Satsuki-sensei! Today, I shall teach you-"

Orihime tuned her speech out, though she noticed that Satsuki-sensei stared at her and her group the entire time. Her eyes would shift, and then she would look back directly at Orihime. She leaned forward and whispered to Riruka, "This new teacher is freaking me out. Why does she keep staring at me?"

However, no matter how low she spoke, Satsuki-sensei heard her, and called out, "Anything you have to say, Orihime Inoue, you should say out loud! Come on, don't be shy!"

"What the!? I haven't even introduced myself! How the hell do you know my name!?"

Tatuski freaked out when she heard Orihime yell back at the teacher, clasping her mouth shut as the teacher yelled excitedly, "I have studied all of my students, Inoue! I read over the roster, and I know each of your names individually! I know your real name is, in fact, Ishida! I know about your sister next to you, Riruka Dokugamine in front of you..."

They noticed her voice darkened considerably, and her cheerful smile turned to one of pure evil as she stated slyly, "And I even know about the _new student_ behind you... _Momo Hinamori_..."

The aforementioned girl blinked as she leaned further away from the excited teacher. She narrowed her eyes before saying, "...This woman...is really scary..."

* * *

Satsuki watched as each student filed out of the classroom. Her eyes locked with Orihime's as the teenager exited with her friends. She shuffled her papers before a voice sounded from behind her.

"...You do know that you scared that poor girl?"

Satsuki looked over her shoulder at the new occupant of the classroom and smirked, "She needed to know that everyone is watching her now... She should prepare herself, just in case..."

From the shadows of the room, she was able to make out the man's Soul Reaper clothing. She packed her things up to leave as the shadowed figure followed her.

"...Anyway, I have to leave... I don't want Ichigo to be too worried..."

The man grunted as he pushed open the door to let her out, continuing to follow her.

"...So where are you staying while you're here?"

She looked at the man out of the corner of her eye and replied, "Where do you think? I'm coming home."

* * *

"...Satsuki-sensei was pretty wierd, huh?"

Riruka shivered and commented, "I know, right? Was I the only one that got the feeling that she could sense our Reiatsu?"

Tatsuki frowned as she thought about the class. She placed her finger on her chin and wondered, "It can't be... She said that she knew about the new girl as well... Unless Hinamori's a Soul Reaper in disguise or something..."

Orihime waved her off as she said, "Ignore that. She's not here with us, and that's all that matters!"

"Hello, ladies!"

The auburn-haired teenager's hand and expression drooped, along with Riruka's and Tatsuki's, as Satsuki appeared in front of them, waving her hands back and forth. Tatsuki's right eye twitched as she commented in disbelief, "...You've _got_ to be fuckin' kidding me."

"Make a break for it!"

Riruka turned into the alley next to them and took off in a mad sprint, followed by Tatsuki. Soon, Orihime did the same and ran behind them down the alley, much to Satsuki's shock.

"...Told you... You shouldn't have scared the piss outta them."

She looked back at the male Soul Reaper and scowled. She scolded, "You hypocrite... You've been doing that for years."

"What!? I haven't!"

'Satsuki' clicked her tongue, replying, "Yeah, right... I'll be right back!"

As she disappeared in flash, the man sighed, "...You act just like her..."

* * *

"Yo!"

The three girls skidded to a stop as 'Satsuki' appeared in front of them in a blue flash of light. Orihime's mouth gaped in shock and fear, and Tatsuki stuttered, "That...That...was..."

'Satsuki' smirked as a Reishi bow appeared in her hands, pointed directly at them. She moved a bang away from her face as she finished, "...That was Hirenkyaku... You should know it well, considering you're a Quincy also."

"Did Juhabach send you!?"

The woman shrugged before answering with, "Maybe. He's the reason I'm here, after all."

The girls dodged out of the way as the woman's arrow flew past them, exploding some distance behind them. When Orihime recovered, she noticed the woman had appeared in front of her, holding a blue, arrow-like blade.

"Don't let your guard down, idiot."

However, the women were all surprised when 'Satsuki's blade was blocked by Orihime's own blade.

"...Usually, you use that Fullbring of yours... What caused you to use your Quincy powers? Especially against a Quincy as advanced as me?"

Orihime gritted her teeth as she struggled to push the woman back. The woman frowned at the lack of response, snapping her right leg back to land a kick to Orihime's side. She was surprised, however, when it was caught by Tatsuki.

"Nuh-uh... I don't like beating up my own teachers, but you were beggin' for an ass whoopin'!"

'Satsuki' smirked, using her leg on the ground to flip herself into the air. Tatsuki watched as her left leg was brought over her head.

_'This woman is flexible! Gotta let go!'_

"Fallrückzieher!"

The edge of the woman's foot flashed blue before she dropped her heel onto the area where Tatsuki was formerly placed. The cement cracked and strained under the pressure of the intense kick, sending dust and debris flying into their faces. Orihime coughed as the rocks caused her to tear up slightly.

"Wher-Where is she...!?"

Suddenly, a hand reached out in front of her, making a grabbing motion at her face. The woman's expression turned dementedly wicked as she taunted, "You're mine, Orihime Ishida! This is-"

"-done. You're going overboard."

Both Orihime and 'Satsuki's' expression turned into shock as the deeper, yet feminine voice appeared behind the teacher. Both turned to see a woman holding the teacher's hand back.

"...And Dad let you do this? That dumbass."

The woman had dark, wavy hair tied into a ponytail with bangs framing both sides of her dark-gray eyes. What was most shocking was the Shihakusho she was wearing, which was tied by green, military-like belt. She wore soccer cleats instead of sandals, and the upturned collar of a soccer jersey could seen underneath her Shihakusho and covering her modest bust.

'Satsuki's expression burst into joy as she shouted, "Sister! You finally came back!"

The dark woman scowled and turned away, saying, "I told you and Dad I was coming back. I had to finish my match first."

Both Satsuki's and the woman's conversation was interrupted as they heard a loud squeal. Turning in the direction of the voice, they noticed Tatsuki jumping up and down in excitement. The woman frowned and prayed, "Please don't-"

"OHEMGEE! IT'S YOU! JAPAN'S GREATEST LEFT FORWARD, KARIN ARISAWA! OH MY GOSH, I CA-"

The woman, identified now as 'Karin', growled in annoyance as she begged, "Someone, make her shut up."

"Heh... You're just the same as always, Karin."

Karin's expression darkened as Isshin stepped out of the shadows. She grounded out, "And I see you haven't changed one bit, Goat-face."

There was a moment of awkward silence before Isshin yelled out, "Both of my baby girls, together! We can be Team Kurosaki again!"

He jumped forward in order to hug both Karin and 'Satsuki', though his face soon made his way to the bottom of Karin's cleats, framing his face with red marks as he slumped to the ground.

"You're missing Ichigo, dumbass! And I told you that I'm not staying! I just want to see Big Brother and help him, then I'm leaving!"

Both Karin and Isshin were interrupted by Orihime, who pointed between Karin and 'Satsuki' and blinked in confusion.

"...Wait, you're Karin and Yuzu Kurosaki? You both are Ichigo's younger sisters?"

Yuzu scratched her head awkwardly as she revealed, "Actually, it's Yuzu Satsuki, since I got married... But yep! I guess you know about us, huh?"

"...And it's Arisawa. I stopped being a Kurosaki when Ichigo did."

From beneath Karin's foot, Isshin cried, "My daughters don't love me anymore! Why must this cruel world be so!?"

"Shut up, idiot!"

* * *

"...So wait, you were called here by Mr. Kurosaki to watch us?"

Yuzu placed the newly-made rice cakes on the table of the Kurosaki home, watching as the girls dug into the batch.

"Kinda... If Juhabach's after you, then we need to make sure you're up to the task, Orihime... Since Dad knows you would never ask Uryu for help, he called for me... So I'm actually here to teach you guys some things..."

Tatsuki took a bite of one of the cakes and suggested, "...And you want to see Ichigo as well?"

Yuzu shrugged and took off her apron as she said, "Yeah... I would like to, at least... I haven't seen him since he left the house that day...almost thirty years ago."

Riruka stared into the living room where Isshin and Karin were having a ridiculous argument about something. She pointed at the female Soul Reaper with her thumb and asked, "Did she leave because of that?"

"...Yes. After Ichigo died, her Soul Reaper powers developed over the years, manifesting when she graduated. She and Tatsuki...uh...the _old _Tatsuki...each took a Gigai from Urahara to hide their Hollow and Soul Reaper Reiatsu and ran away... She comes back every now and then, but it really left me and Dad heartbroken... You can see that, considering he's still trying to win her back even though she keeps denying him."

Back in the living room, Isshin continued to beg, "Stay here with daddy! I can teach you Bankai!"

Karin deadpanned, "Urahara taught me Bankai with his method. I've known Bankai for over twenty-years now, old man."

Isshin continued, "Daddy can teach you Kido!"

"I'd rather use my hands and sword. I don't have time for Kido... If I wanted to learn, I'd go to Urahara."

The older man growled as he threatened, "I'll kill Kisuke for taking my lovely daughter's heart!"

"...I'm not interested in old men... Plus I have a husband."

Isshin pointed dramatically and accused, "Liar! Why do you still have Tatsuki's name!?"

"...Cause I made him take my name. And at least Urahara doesn't kick out family... And stop yelling before you wake the little guy up."

Back in the kitchen, Yuzu sighed, "See? Anyway, I'm just happy we can be...uhh..._almost_... like a family again."

"...Mommy..."

Every occupant in the house turned as the young male voice penetrated the room. The all watched as a light-browned haired boy held on to the railing of the staircase while he stumbled down them. Carefully, he placed his foot on the floor and stepped into the living room. He stared at the two dark-haired Soul Reapers by the couch before peeking into the kitchen.

"Mommy...!"

He took off into a sprint, jumping into Yuzu's open arms as she giggled, "I see you're awake, little Ichigo! How's Mommy's little strawberry doing?"

The little spiky-haired boy growled, "...My name doesn't mean strawberry, Mommy! Daddy always said it meant 'Number One Protector'!"

"I'm sorry, Ichigo. I'll call you properly by your title next time."

The boy's confident demeanor switched to a shy one as he noticed the teenagers in the room. Yuzu held him close to her chest as she turned to the others and announced, "This is my six-year-old son, Ichigo Satsuki...the only joy my husband had with me before he...um...before he passed away... and my little strawberry!"

"Damnit, Mommy! Stop calling me that!"

The teenaged girls sweatdropped, as he reminded them very much of his namesake. Yuzu frowned and lightly tapped the boy on his head, scolding, "Don't say words like that!"

"That is a proper grandson, damnit! Where is my grandchild, Karin!?"

Karin frowned and commented, "There's no way in hell I'm gonna introduce you to Masaki. She's with her _real_ grandparents. And I told you to keep it down, hence the reason the little tyke woke up in the first place!"

Isshin cried and attempted to hug Karin who hit him in the face with the hilt of her Zanpakuto. The man fell to his knees while crying out, "My daughter doesn't love me anymore!"

Yuzu placed her son back on the ground, whispering to him, "Tell Aunt Karin to take you to the Urahara shop for some candy... I think she needs the distraction right now."

"Okay! Aunt Karin! Let's go to Urahara's shop!"

Isshin protested immediately, grabbing on to Karin's leg and screaming, "Young lady, we're not done yet! You're not going-"

Karin growled and kicked her father in the face before shouting, "I'm Forty-three, damnit! I'm not a young lady! This is cougar-age, Goat-face!"

With that, Karin picked up Ichigo and walked out of the house, leaving Isshin to crawl over and cry to the picture of Masaki. Yuzu sighed again and collapsed into a nearby chair.

"...It seems things never change... All we need is Ichigo and the family could be back together again... I just hope he's okay in Soul Society."

* * *

"Man, the Seireitei's on high alert!"

"Of course it is, idiot! A group of Quincies slithered there way in and killed the First Division Lieutenant!"

A loud voice yelled out, "Quiet! Neither of you have the time to chatter! Prepare your defenses! We have no idea when this attack'll come, so get ready!"

The Soul Reapers turned their attention to the Captain walking in, alongside his Lieutenant, Izuru Kira. Captain Iba looked back to his Lieutenant as the man called out, "We have some of the members in a well-planted defense formation around the walls. It will be difficult for them to come in..."

"...That's why God's angels descend from the sky."

The Captain and the Lieutenant froze as they turned on their heels and snapped their necks to discover the source of the foreign voice. A tall, dark-haired man wearing an equally dark cloak over a military uniform stood above them.

"Shit! A Quincy! Alert the rest of the Seireitei and tell them that the bastards are here!"

As soon as Iba spoke, pillars of light began appearing across the Soul Society.

* * *

Renji stared wide-eyed out of the window as the lights struck across the barracks.

"Has it started!? I can't believe they're attacking so early! It's only been a day!"

He turned back to Byakuya who picked up his Zanpakuto and marched out of the room. Renji followed after him, turning a corner as a voice appeared behind them.

"...Betcha' wonderin' what's going on, eh?"

Byakuya's eyes widened as he turned around, locking gazes with a dark-skinned man with spiked-hair and a shirt that stopped right above his abs. His teeth alternated between white and black, and gold rings decorated his fingers.

The man placed a hand in his pocket and taunted, "...You understand, right? Soul Society's 'bout to get fucked in the ass, brah."

* * *

"You're gonna stand in my way? I'm not interested in your sissy ass."

Zaraki stepped around the dark-haired man with the large eyes. His cloak covered the bottom of his face. The Quincy closed his eyes as the man attempted to escape.

"Kenny! He's trying to sneak attack!"

The large man's head moved to the side along with his Lieutenant, watching as the blue flash of light whizzed by his head. The Kenpachi sighed and turned around, flexing his shoulder and staring directly at the man.

"Tch, fine... Be that way. You better not regret this when we're done."

* * *

"Tch. What are you doing, sweetcheeks? Sorry to burst your bubble, but women like you don't belong on the battlefield."

Unohana stared up at the large form of Driscoll Berci, who stared down at her in annoyance.

"Move, so I can find the fucker who pissed me off."

The Fourth Division Captain simply smiled before reaching up to her braid, using her fingernail to snap it in half as she reached over for her Zanpakuto.

* * *

Kiyone flew threw the air as the Quincy tossed her away, causing her to skid to a crouch.

"...This...This guy... He's powerful!"

The Quincy with the large Mohawk shrugged his shoulders in annoyance as he stated, "Sorry, the order was to kill you all. Nothing personal."

"...Cool Mohawk."

The man turned around as he spied the war potential, Ichigo Kurosaki, standing behind him confidently, his hand resting on his Zanpakuto.

"...Thanks... Too bad flattery's not gonna save you, Ichigo Kurosaki. Boss said to bring you home, regardless of the circumstances required to do so."

Ichigo drew the Nodachi from over his shoulder, staring forward as he waited for the other to make the first move.

"...Well, I guess you're getting fired today. Your paycheck's not gonna cover your expenses after I'm through with you."

_'Yes! That sounded so badass!'_

Kiyone frowned and yelled, "That was so lame! Idiot Captain!"

"Shut up, you!"

* * *

"You're a big guy, aren't you?"

"You're a small one, aren't you?"

Toshiro stared up into the eyes of a giant dark-skinned man with light-colored cornrows framing his head. The upper teeth of his mouth were shaped similar to a canine's, giving him a feral appearance.

"...You should keep your head down."

"...I hope you're up to size."

Both of the fighters narrowed their eyes and dashed towards the other, intent on striking them down for the other's comments.

* * *

Jushiro Ukitake and the Quincy locked eyes with one another, with the flamboyant invader drawing his military saber to prepare for battle.

"You look afraid, Soul Reaper. You should... To your eyes...your treacherous eyes... The holy angels of God should frighten such beings of death and decay."

The sickly man coughed slightly before drawing his Zanpakuto.

"...I guess it's my turn... I won't let you pass, Quincy. It ends here... _All waves, rise now and become my shield... Lightning, strike now and become my blade...Sogyo no Kotowari!_"

* * *

"...What's with this little girl?"

The short, dark-haired girl frowned in annoyance as she grumbled, "And here I was, thinking you were a cute guy... Turns out you're an ass!"

Shuhei sweatdropped as the small girl held her hand out, creating a small Chinese dao to fight back. He straightened his sunglasses before drawing his Zanpakuto.

"You'll pay for calling me a little girl, Soul Reaper."

* * *

Juhabach frowned down at the entirety of Soul Society, completely ignoring the Captain and his subordinates below him.

"...This is it, Soul Reapers. My children...shall tear you all apart. _When one family comes together...another is broken_...so break, Soul Reapers, as my family comes together... The _Final Solution_ has begun."

* * *

Trivia:

-Yuzu looks virtually the same as Masaki, except her hair is separated into two ponytails and she still has her clip. Karin's hair is the exact same as Masaki's, except it's black.

-Karin uses the same type of Gigai as Kisuke and the Visored's, hence the reason Soul Society knows nothing of her existence.

-'Satsuki' is Japanese for May, which is a reference to Yuzu and Karin's birthdays (May 6).

-Kid Ichigo looks similar to original Ichigo except his hair is lighter, like Masaki's and Yuzu's.


	22. Final Solution 2: Quincy Don't Save

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"Is he asleep?"

Yuzu nodded as she crept back down the stairs towards the kitchen. Karin sighed, falling back into her seat as she closed her eyes. Tatsuki and Riruka both stood from their seats, announcing, "I guess we're going to leave now... It's getting late... Come on, Orihime."

Orihime sat still for a moment, looking back between Tatsuki and Isshin, who was uncharacteristically quiet as he stared out of his window.

"Um... If it's alright with Mr. Kurosaki... I would like to stay here for the night."

The man blinked as he looked over his shoulder, seemingly searching for something. He was still quiet, which unnerved both her and his daughters.

"Oi, Orihime! You know you can't stay here! Let's go!"

Isshin chuckled, but it was hollowed, lacking his usual gusto as he stated, "Lemme guess... You want more stories, huh? Now that Karin and Yuzu are here...?"

Riruka and Tatsuki both paused at the door as they watched Orihime turn away in embarrassment.

"...If you girls wish to stay, I don't mind... Maybe it'll be good for my health."

Karin raised an eyebrow and questioned, "Stories? Old man, what are you on about?"

"For the past weeks, Orihime here has been quite interested in your brother..._in more ways than one_, I might add..."

Soon, Isshin found himself flat on his face, courtesy of a blushing Orihime.

"Shut up! I'm not crushing on your son!"

Riruka blinked and asked, "Really? That's great! That means I still have a shot!"

Tatsuki shrugged and suggested slyly, "As much as I hate to agree with anything Riruka says, if you're not interested in Ichigo..."

"Oi! Neither of you try anything funny!"

Riruka pouted and asked, "What? I'm just saying... If you're not into Ichigo, then let me take him."

Karin groaned and shouted, "All of you, shut up! Any more words about my brother, and I'll have to kill you all!"

Isshin laughed as he picked himself up from the ground and dusted himself off.

"Good old family times... Anyway, I already told you that he died."

Orihime scowled as she crossed her legs in her seat, mumbling, "I wasn't interested in Ichigo."

"...You can't say something like that while you're blushing."

The teenager growled out, "Shut up! I was more interested in what happened after he died... I wanna know about Juhabach...and his...uhhh...what was it called again, Riruka?"

"...You mean the Verbannung? I told you already... That was when he made the decision to eradicate Fullbringers."

Orihime scowled and asked, "But why? You told me that Fullbring was derived from the Quincy technique, but I still don't understand the hatred for it..."

Isshin frowned as he leaned back into the table and sighed, "You're right... Hate doesn't just spawn from nothing... Someone's gotta make that hatred into some kinda justice... But I'll tell you why the Quincy despise Fullbringers... There are three types of Fullbringers... Pure, Impure, and Incomplete."

"...What? What do you mean by..._'types'_?"

Isshin continued, "You see... Ginjo did not actually create Fullbring... He modernized it when he created Bringer Light and its use on the environment... The concept of Fullbring existed way before Ginjo's time..."

Orihime placed her hand on her chin and nodded, commenting, "I figured as much..."

"...That's where Verbannung comes in... The 'Exile' or 'Banishment'. That's because... Fullbring is the worse _punishment_ a Quincy could undergo...at least, in terms of their laws."

Tatsuki tilted her head as she repeated, "Punishment? What the...?"

"...You see, a Fullbringer is the equivalent of a Visored for Soul Reapers...a Quincy that has developed the powers of a Hollow...and like Soul Society, that's a big no-no... Verbannung was the banishment of the worst Quincies in existence... That is a _'Pure'_ Fullbringer...a Hollowfied Quincy."

Isshin paused for a moment as he looked over the large portrait of Masaki before turning back to the girls and continuing, "An _'Impure' _Fullbringer is the concept you're familiar with...a human born from parents attacked by Hollows... Like Riruka here."

At the sound of her name, she kissed her hands and waved to everybody in the room, causing Tatsuki to roll her eyes in annoyance.

"...So what is an Incomplete Fullbringer? Is that someone who hasn't completed their Fullbring?"

Isshin shook his head and answered, "An incomplete Fullbring is what you're referring to... An _'Incomplete' _Fullbringer is... A human who can draw upon an attachment, but aren't capable of drawing from the souls of other objects... What your mother was."

"My mother?"

After the man nodded, he elaborated, "When a Hollow is created, it usually haunts down those close to it... When these two desires make contact, the survivor is given a memento...which is that Hollow's Reiatsu... When Orihime's brother made contact with her, and she survived the attack, his powers latched on to her hairclip... Thus, she can use something similar to a Zanpakuto...as her hairpins contain the remaining soul traces of Sora Inoue."

As Orihime listened intently, Tatsuki frowned and pointed something out, "So is Orihime an Incomplete Fullbringer, too? I thought it was weird that...no offense, Dokugamine, that I can sense Hollow Reiatsu circulating through her entire being, but not Orihime's?"

Karin was the one to answer with, "No. And yes, this girl here is Incomplete. That's why it's slightly difficult for her to fight... She keeps trying to fight as a Fullbringer and deny her father's legacy when she isn't a real Fullbringer herself."

Riruka noticed Orihime's disheartening face as she looked down at her feet.

_'I guess that would hurt...hearing that you've been trying to be something that you're not...'_

Orihime felt someone grab her shoulder looked over it to see Yuzu.

"It's okay... I told you, I'm here to help you with that... That way, you don't have to simply watch from the sidelines."

Orihime nodded but turned back to Isshin as another question appeared in her mind.

"...So why does Juhabach want Ichigo's body...?"

Isshin stared down at her for a moment before sighing.

"...That shit sounds so weird."

Karin facepalmed herself at her father's idiocy before finishing, "That's because Juhabach, as the King of Quincies, realized that he needs to evolve further... Once a Quincy reaches their max potential, there's nothing left...but to become a Fullbringer."

Isshin nodded and added on, "...Ichigo's body contains Quincy and Hollow Reiatsu, as his Soul Reaper body, and the slight traces of his Fullbring that latched on to them, are in Soul Society... Only a Quincy and a Fullbringer could utilize the powers that Ichigo's body contains."

"...Then why does Aizen want it if he can't use it?"

Riruka looked at Orihime in disbelief and spat, "Do you really think that Aizen, of all people, don't have a back-up plan? Tch, somethin' tells me that it involves the Vandenreich, and I'll be surprised if Juhabach's not being manipulated by that asshole."

* * *

"_Scatter, Senbonzakura._"

The dark-skinned man smirked and disappeared to dodge the attack, allowing the bladed-petals to destroy the area he was formerly in. He appeared on Byakuya's side, grimacing at the destructive power of Senbonzakura.

"Whew... That would've been terribad if I got hit..."

Byakuya cut his speech short as he moved in to slash at him, which was promptly blocked by the man's forearms.

"Do not jester with me. You Quincy have Blut Vene. That attack wouldn't have hurt you."

The man smirked and commented, "You sound like you know us...? Whatchu know about that?"

Byakuya didn't answer, and instead, swept at him again. The Quincy leaned backwards and threw a right hook towards the Captain, which was promptly dodged as he flipped over him.

"You're pretty fast, Captain... I guess I can tell you who I am, just for the kicks... NaNaNa Najahkoop, the Stern Ritter _'U'_."

Off to the side, Renji commented, "What the hell? That dumbass name...and what the hell does that _'U'_ stand for, anyways?"

"...All Stern Ritter have a designated letter callsign... Each letter is a reference to the Stern Ritter's power."

NaNaNa laughed and shouted, "That's correct, yo...! But... I find it odd that you know so much about us... Imma have to kill ya now, you know that?"

* * *

"C'mon, use your Bankai, you little fucker! This is a waste of my time!"

Unohana smirked as she dodged another enraged punch from Driscoll Berci.

"...And you were planning to fight Ichigo with this? How pitiful. I wasn't planning on you making to _my target_ anyway."

Driscoll frowned and reared his arm back, forming a spear of light in it.

"You'll pay for fucking with me! Take th-"

He was cut off, literally, as Unohana's sword swiped at him, connecting with his jaw. However, the blade didn't cut through it, as it rebounded from his cheek.

"Your Blut Vene is powerful... That's good, but it isn't enough... Be careful what you wish for... _Bankai_... _Minazuki_."

At her words, the Quincy smirked and held up his medallion, watching as the Bankai's acid flowed into it. He laughed haughtily as Unohana jumped away from him, and taunted, "It seems Kurosaki didn't even tell you! You're an idiot!"

Unohana cursed slightly, "Damn... I forgot about that... That you all could steal Bankai."

Driscoll laughed again, "Ahahahahaha! That's fucking great! I knew you didn't belong here! _Bankai_! _Minazuki_!"

His medallion began flowing out the acidic substance of Unohana's Bankai, and he waved it at her in furious swipes.

_'The essence of Minazuki...requires someone with precise medical expertise... You shall suffer for this.'_

As she thought that, she heard his screams of pain as the acid splashed on her skin. She looked down at her skeletal arm, and gazed back at Driscoll. The man's skull had been badly burnt by the acid, along with most of his upper body.

"Yes, idiot. You didn't know that my Bankai affects the user as well. If you don't have the skills to heal yourself, then it is settled."

And she sheathed her blade and continued on into the Soul Society as the man crumbled to the ground, his medallion breaking upon contact.

* * *

"...It seems Driscoll was defeated, Your Majesty."

Juhabach flicked away the wounded form of Iba as he turned back to Haschwalth.

"...Tch, he fought someone he shouldn't have... It's his own fault... Update me on the status of Buzzbee."

Haschwalth looked up at him in shock before focusing his Reishi on the aforementioned combatant.

* * *

Buzzbee grunted as he crashed into the wall of the Fifth Squad Barracks.

"...Driscoll didn't report that you were this strong... You matched my hand-to-hand skills with your own..."

Ichigo placed his Zanpakuto over his shoulders as he stated, "Training in the Second Division does wonders to a man."

The man got up from his spot in the wall before popping his neck. He reached into his pocket, and Ichigo tensed up. Buzzbee sighed and informed, "...Boss man said to try something on you...to see how strong you were... Are you ready?"

"...Ready for what?"

He held out the medallion to Ichigo, who smirked and said, "I'm not letting that shit happen to me again."

"I'm not stealing your Bankai. I'm using one I stole."

Ichigo frowned as sparks were released from the medallion, and Buzzbee called out, "_Bankai_."

As he spoke, the medallion shot lightning into the skies, forming a dome connected by pillars of lighting. The lightning rose to the air, summoning dark clouds and creating thunderstorms. Ichigo's eyes widened as he felt the rain drops pour down his cheek.

Behind him, Kiyone grimaced as she shouted, "A Bankai like Captain Hitsugaya's!? It can control the weather!?"

Ichigo grinded his teeth together and yelled out, "Whose Bankai is this!?"

"..._Koko Gonryo Rikyu._ This is the Bankai...of the Lieutenant of the First Division... _Chojiro Sasakibe._"

* * *

Toshiro paused from his battle as he felt the incoming thunderstorms. As the rain poured onto his face, he commented, "What is this...? This feels like a Bankai...!"

The large Quincy grunted, "You shouldn't worry about that, little man. You've got bigger problems to worry about."

Toshiro's brows curved inwards as he felt the raindrops and said, "Heh... It seems this has given me a slight advantage."

* * *

Byakuya narrowed his eyes as the rain dripped onto his face, and stared towards NaNaNa with contempt.

"I'm sorry, but it seems that blundering fool of Captain has gotten himself in trouble... I'm going to have to end this soon."

NaNaNa smirked, "Oh? With your Bankai? I'm not too sure I'll let that happen... But I guess if you can beat me in five minutes... _I'll let you go_... If not, I'll simply kill you in that amount of time."

Byakuya frowned and said, "Renji... I need you to go to Captain Kurosaki's position. Do not worry for me."

Renji looked back at the lightning tower before turning back to Byakuya and protesting, "But I just can't! Not when that guy might steal your Bankai!"

The Quincy frowned and said, "You know about that, too? Well, I can't let either of you leave, aight? Get my drift?"

Renji snarled as the man disappeared in front of him.

_'Ichigo... I hope someone else can get to your position... If not, you're on your own for now... Try not to die...'_

* * *

"...Your husband... You said he passed away."

Yuzu, who was washing the dishes, turned around as Orihime sat in the kitchen alone. Her friends were too busy watching Karin and Isshin argue again.

"...Yeah..."

Orihime nodded and continued, "I noticed that little Ichigo had a bruise on him... You pulled him closer so that we couldn't see..."

Yuzu said nothing as she continued washing the dishes, not giving any sign that she was ready to talk.

"...Was your husband killed by a Hollow?"

The woman didn't answer for a few seconds. She washed the next cup without a word, leaving Orihime to turn away. She looked back to her as she finally answered.

"...My husband had my child six years ago... And died the very next day."

The teenager looked down at the table as she recognized the pain one's voice.

"...What was funny was that it wasn't at all sad... I could still see him, little Ichigo could... Even though I was technically a widow, my husband was still there, and that was all that mattered... But we both knew...when that fateful day would come."

Orihime frowned as she though about it for a second. Eventually, her eyes widened as she realized.

"I see you understand. My husband's Chain of Fate severed... and I had to kill him before he could kill my son... It's hard, ya know...telling your son that he's in a better place when I know he's not... Quincies destroy, not save..."

Yuzu sighed as she placed the last dish in its place and leaned back against the sink.

"...Sometimes, I wish I was more like Karin and Big Brother... In all honesty, I hate being a Quincy..."

Orihime frowned as she looked towards the portrait of Masaki. Yuzu looked towards it as well before drawling out, "...Sometimes... I think mother wished she wasn't a Quincy either... If she wasn't...our lives would have been much better..."

"...Then why are you training me to be a Quincy? If Quincy can only destroy...then why teach me that?"

Yuzu narrowed her eyes as she looked at her feet and answered, "Because sometimes, I think mother also didn't care... That her powers weren't what defined her, but what she did with them. Sometimes, destroying can be a good thing..."

Orihime blinked in astonishment as Yuzu finished, "You don't have to be a protector or a savior like Ichigo and Karin... Instead of protecting the ones you love...you _destroy_ the ones who target them..."

* * *

"Kiyone... I'm gonna have to ask you to watch my back..."

The Lieutenant blinked behind him as he finished, "I don't want any Quincy to sneak up on me with their medallions... I'm gonna use my Bankai..."

She nodded and moved to a higher vantage point to cover him. As Ichigo prepared to release his Bankai, Buzzbee yelled, "Oi! Now's your-!"

"Bakudo Number Eighty-one! Danku!"

The Vandenreich soldier attempting to sneak behind Ichigo was blocked as the barrier appeared in front of him.

"Thanks, Kiyone!"

The petit woman landed in front of the soldier, who frowned down at her.

"You best move, little girl."

Kiyone smirked and commented, "No way. It's my turn to shine! As the Lieutenant, it's my job to make sure my Captain doesn't screw up!"

She smirked slightly as she felt the release of the Bankai from the other side, much to the annoyance of the man in front of her.

* * *

Buzzbee grunted as he felt the release of his Bankai. The debris and smoke from the explosion rained on his face, eventually being washed away by the rain.

"...Did it evolve again? Does this guy's Bankai get stronger like Driscoll's abilities?"

The trademarked long blade of Tensa Zangetsu waved away the winds. When it cleared, Ichigo stood with the blade pointed towards Buzzbee. Just as reported by Driscoll, the Fullbring still seemed to take over his shape.

"...Are you afraid, Quincy? You should be. You're not going to leave here alive."

Tendrils of black and blue-energy flowed from Ichigo's sword arm and feet, flowing into the sky. The gray clouds of Koko Gonryo Rikyu faded to black.

"...It seems Zangetsu is pissed, considering he was stolen before... I don't think he's gonna let that happen again."


	23. Final Solution 3: Dark Motivations

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"Getsuga Tensho!"

Buzzbee sent a streak of lightning towards Ichigo's attack, and was surprised when he dodged and appeared behind him. He grunted as Tensa Zangetsu scraped his back, causing severe damage even with his Blut Vene.

"You've gotta be kiddin' me!"

He turned around, swinging his leg in an arc to hit Ichigo. Surprisingly, the Captain caught his leg as he stared at Buzzbee.

"I understand your abilities. Without having to tell me your letter, I know that you're a physical man, similar to Driscoll. Your boots and gloves are your Spirit Weapons."

Buzzbee frowned and commented, "Smart, too. I guess you're not one to be underestimated. That's me, alright... Buzzbee the _'K'... _for the _Knockout_."

"Cute."

As he spoke, Ichigo felt the incoming rumbling of thunder, signifying that Buzzbee was bringing down the next strike of lighting. He flashed away at the last second.

"_Run Rampant, Koko Gonryo Rikyu._"

At Buzzbee's command, the lightning struck from the sky at random angles, with Ichigo weaving between them. When the lightning surrounded him, he readied his blade and shouted, "Time to clear the skies! Tenburenjin!"

Rapidly slashing around him, he removed every trace of lightning in his vicinity, though he didn't stop there. Continuing to swipe at the air, he fired Getsuga Tensho's towards the skies where the lightning was building up. Buzzbee frowned as he realized that he couldn't maximize the potential of Koko Gonryo Rikyu.

"...Tch... Guess it's time for plan B."

Eventually, the pillars of lightning around Buzzbee expanded, swiping past Ichigo and locking them in place. Ichigo scowled as he realized that Buzzbee trapped them both in lightning dome.

"This technique... this is... Quite frankly, I don't know what the fuck this is, but I guess it locks you in here with me. Hope you aren't claustrophobic."

Ichigo frowned and looked towards the Mohawk Stern Ritter, who reached over for his glove and announced, "This, Ichigo Kurosaki, is what is called a _Vollstandig_... This is..._our greatest weapon._"

Slowly, he removed the glove, staring ahead towards Ichigo. The black fabric was finally tossed away, and both he and Ichigo waited.

"..._Ezequeel_."

* * *

"...It seems the girls are asleep."

Yuzu nodded as Isshin stepped into his dining room. Karin sat on the couch, watching the television in complete boredom. She looked at her father as he walked and asked, "...So... What now?"

Isshin frowned as he thought about something before stating, "Both of you need to start of training them right away. I have a feeling that something bad is happening..."

Karin scowled and looked back towards the television as she commented, "That's useless for me. They've nothing to learn from a Soul Reaper."

"...The Hollow I fought felt like a Soul Reaper... If Aizen's plans come into fruition like I believe they are, then I don't...really think that matters..."

A voice called out from the side of the house, "You're right. It won't."

The three Kurosaki's turned to the side as Uryu Ishida appeared, leaning back against the window.

"...You're here to pick up the girls?"

The Quincy shook his head, "No... I'm here to drop something off, since I know Orihime won't be coming back anytime soon..."

Uryu reached into his jacket pocket, pulling a black glove with the Vandenreich symbol on it. Isshin narrowed his eyes and questioned, "Where did you get that?"

"...As much as I hate to seem like Kurosaki... I've made some bad decision's growing up as well."

He dropped the black glove on the table next to him before turning away to leave.

"You sure you're ready to part with that, then? Don't you want to keep it for what might come?"

Uryu looked back at Isshin before answering, "It's not mine. Stole it from the woman in the rape room."

Yuzu blanched as she questioned, "The what room...?"

"Father...?"

The Quincy patriarch glanced over to his daughter as she padded softly down the stairs. After wiping her eyes clean to get a better look, Orihime stared at him again with narrowed eyes.

"What are you doing here? I'm not coming back tonight."

Uryu blankly gazed back at her before turning around and saying, "Do whatever you want. I'm not going to argue."

He opened the door to the Kurosaki Clinic and stepped out, though not before taking a second glance at his daughter. He closed the door and turned to walk down the dimly-lit streets back to his home.

"...So she's gonna stay?"

Uryu paused and turned around, where his son, Sora, stood dressed in his similar doctor's clothing.

"Presumably... She'll probably...never forgive me... It's funny when I think about it, 'cause now I know how my father felt."

Sora walked alongside his father silently as the headed towards their home alone. Soon, however, it began pouring down heavily. Sora frowned and began complaining, "Aw, come on! Seriously, bro? Not cool! I hate the rain!"

Uryu looked back at his son before looking towards the sky.

_'...Once again... I'm gonna have leave it to you, Ichigo...to clear these skies of __**our**__ Orihime's tears...'_

* * *

Ichigo watched as the nearby buildings became absorbed into the Quincy's release. Panicking, he turned as the large Kido-wall began breaking down into Reishi as well.

"Shit! Kiyone, run! Get out of here!"

He heard the scuffling of feet, signaling his Lieutenant's escape and the Quincy chasing after her. He turned around as he felt Buzzbee appear behind him, and felt him grab his arm.

"Sklavar-"

Ichigo protested immediately, swinging his sword arm and yelling, "_Issen Getsuga!_" and pushing the man back. The Stern Ritter skid along the ground as he fully stood up, allowing Ichigo to see his new form.

His entire body was covered in Reishi armor. A helmet rested on his head, and, combined with his Mohawk, gave him the appearance of a gladiator. His attire consisted of Reishi armor, a gladiator sword, and a round shield, along with a Reishi cape.

"It's done for, Kurosaki. Just give up and lemme take you back to the Vandenreich HQ."

Ichigo frowned, and used everything he hand to maximize his Reiatsu, causing it to flare out stronger than before.

"Ah, I see you're going all out. It'd be better if you'd stop. I don't really want to go all out, you know what I mean?"

Ichigo deadpanned, "You've got to be the most unmotivated Quincy I've ever met."

Buzzbee tch'd and rubbed his neck and commented, "There's a lot of other shit I could be doing besides this... Just because I lost in paper, rock, scissors... Damnit, Bambietta."

A sweatdrop appeared behind Ichigo's head as the Quincy began angrily twitching his fingers.

"Well, anyway..."

Ichigo turned to clash with Buzzbee as he finished, "Let's get this over with...!"

* * *

"It's futile, ya dig!? Without yer Bankai, you ain't got nothin'!"

Byakuya grunted as he was kicked back quite a distance from the man. Renji quickly dashed forward, Zabimaru released, to take his Captain's place in the fight.

_'Hopefully, Captain Kuchiki, I can give you the opening you need to end this quickly. Ichigo's battle is getting out of hand...'_

"You next, Pineapple? Aight then, let's get at it!"

Renji smirked and yelled out, "Try me!"

He swung Zabimaru in an arc, cutting through many of the surrounding buildings to strike NaNaNa with his full power. The dark-skinned Quincy held his arm up to block it.

"Not a chance, skippy. Take th-"

"_Ban...kai..._"

NaNaNa's eyes widened for a fraction of a second as the blade in his hand expanded, becoming large and snake-like as it pushed him back. As he floated back in the air, the jaws of the creature turned towards him, opening far beyond the length and width of his body.

"_Hihio Zabimaru! Hikotsu Taiho!_"

He glared back in shock as a red light came from beneath the snake's jaw, suddenly exploding in his face. Renji smirked as he watched the smoke cloud fall from the sky. Behind him, he heard chanting, and turned around as he noticed his Captain whispering something.

"Yo, Captain Kuchiki? I took care of him... I'm surprised he didn't take my Bankai... I guess he was more interested in yours... Sure cost him, huh?"

Byakuya ignored him as he continued chanting, causing Renji to tilt his head in confusion and question, "Uh, Captain Kuchiki? What are you-?"

"I'm 'bout to rip you apart, Pineapple! _Quincy, Vollstan-_"

Renji snapped his head in shock as the Quincy came down at him, preparing to remove his glove. Before he could strike the surprised Lieutenant, a wave of black flashed in front of him.

"What the!?"

He soon heard the chanting behind Renji, and turned to look in the Captain's direction as the man finished.

"-ite... Repulse... Fill with soil and know your own _powerlessness_... _Kurohitsugi_..."

The black prism rose high into the sky, filling it with darkness. As Renji stared in the dark oblivion, he heard his Captain behind him finish, "_Bankai... __**Shikei**__... Senbonzakura Kageyoshi...!_"

Instead of the blades rising from ground, the blades embedded themselves on the side of the box, sweeping its Reiatsu through it and fading the prism's color to a pinkish white. The blades glowed white before breaking down into its Bankai and sweeping through the coffin.

As the light shimmered like glass before finally disappearing, the Quincy's tattered and bleeding form finally was revealed behind it, slowly descending to the ground.

"Well, guess that's one way to end it, huh...?"

Byakuya said nothing as he retrieved his sealed Zanpakuto and walked towards the thundering area ahead, with Renji tailing behind him.

* * *

"NaNaNa has fallen to Byakuya Kuchiki."

Juhabach looked back at Haschwalth as he held Sui Feng by her throat and reprimanded him, "...I told you to keep me updated on the status of Buzzbee... If the others are not willing to do what is necessary to win, then they deserve death."

Haschwalth blinked and looked back towards the area of Buzzbee and Ichigo Kurosaki.

"...Is Ichigo Kurosaki's Fullbring still active?"

The Quincy looked back to his king and said, "Yes... It latched on to his Soul when he became a Soul Reaper... I thought you was already informed on this, Your Majesty?"

Haschwalth allowed the surprise to show on his face as Juhabach turned to him, his visage darkened by sick glee. He continued to hold on to the Stealth Force Captain as she kicked and struggled to be released.

"...Good... Make sure no other Quincy interferes with him...when he comes to me."

* * *

Toshiro frowned and flipped away as the monstrous Quincy roared, blasting away the ice covering him. As he gripped his Zanpakuto, he briefly wondered aloud, "I wonder...if he's become such a monster...that he'll forget to steal my Bankai?"

Before he could react, however, the large man was sliced diagonally by an unknown being. Toshiro's eyes widened as he turned towards the source.

"...You barbaric... Who told you to interrupt my battle?"

Zaraki grunted as he walked past the childish Captain, hoisting multiple bodies on his shoulder.

"...I didn't want to. His fatass was blocking my path. I'm trying to get to Kurosaki."

Toshiro grimaced as the stench of blood passed him. When he looked up towards the rain, he commented, "...So he's fighting the man...that stole the First Division's Lieutenant's Bankai..."

Zaraki grunted as he called out, "You better hurry up... The old fucker said we can't let Kurosaki meet with the enemy's boss."

The Tenth Division Captain frowned and commented, "What? Is he...?"

The ruthless man turned to look down at the shorter one and revealed, "Whoever that man is, he's after Kurosaki."

_**"Mission orders have been changed! Captains who are near Captain Kurosaki, move towards his position! Do not let him make contact with the enemy leader! I repeat, do not let them make contact!"**_

"...Why did Captain Unohana sound so urgent? Is this invasion...because of Kurosaki?"

* * *

_**"Kuroi Getsuga!"**_

Buzzbee's eyes twitched as he was blown away by the dark blast, sending him flying through the buildings. He crashed into the ground, his Vollstandig barely keeping him alive as he attempted to stand.

Before he could move, a foot pressed against his chest, pushing him back into the ground. He stared up into the eyes of Ichigo as he glared back at him.

"...That's...definitely some power you got there, Kurosaki... You've been making progress..."

Ichigo frowned and stomped harder on his chest as he interrogated, "What does Juhabach want with me?"

Buzzbee grimaced in pain as he smirked and taunted, "You don't know? Or maybe...maybe you haven't figured out..."

"Figured what out? That he's searching for my remains?"

Buzzbee grinned and replied, "Nope... We were looking for your body at first...until Driscoll reported that your Fullbring was still attached to your Soul... He's here for you."

Ichigo looked down at his plated armor before looking back to Buzzbee. He pointed his blade towards his throat and asked, "What does he need my Fullbring for? What does the power of a Hollow got to do with this? I thought he was seeking evolution?"

"...So you don't even know...about your own Fullbring... That's funny... I guess that's the way the curtain'll fall..."

Before he could say more, Ichigo's blade pierced through his throat. He turned away from his body nonchalantly and sighed.

"...If you're going to speak in riddles...then I'll have to go straight to the source then..."

He heard his Lieutenant scream behind him, "Wait! Captain, you can't go!"

He ignored her as he took off, causing her to stop as she watched him disappear.

"...Oh no... Captain Unohana told me...to not let him go..."

* * *

"...He's coming this way, sir...and fast, too."

Sui-Feng grimaced, as she too had received the message like every other Captain...

_'Obviously...Ichigo didn't get the memo...'_

She panicked mentally...she was trying to get rid of Juhabach before Ichigo could see him... She should have listened to Urahara when she brought him Ichigo's Quincy Charm.

_"...You do know that Juhabach will trace this charm back to you, Urahara?"_

_ Kisuke Urahara frowned as he held onto the charm. He smiled wryly and suggested, "You sound like you care..."_

_ "No, idiot. I mean, do you plan on bringing him to Karakura Town? He's going to find Ichigo's body, and then we-"_

_ Kisuke frowned as he interrupted, "As long as Ichigo has that Fullbring active, he's going to find him anyway...and I don't think he's after Ichigo's body..."_

_ "Speak sense, fool. You mean he doesn't want Ichigo's powers? Then why is he after Orihime?"_

_ The store owner shook his head and stood up, walking past the silent occupant of the room. __Byakuya watched as he went to find something on his shelf._

_ "Yes...and no... In all honesty, I'm just as ignorant as everybody else as to Juhabach's plan... But I believe he is after Ichigo in Soul Society, not the body. Whatever you do, don't let that man come in contact with Ichigo... He, unlike Aizen, is not looking to play or study him."_

_ "...Then we'll figh-"_

_ A new female voice interrupted, "No way, Byaku-baby. That's not gonna work... You won't be able to kill Juhabach."_

_ Sui-Feng, startled by her master's appearance, jumped in slight fright and excitement as Byakuya frowned._

_ 'Byaku-baby?'_

_ "Juhabach is the King of Quincy who was sealed away over a thousand years ago... He has awoken and regained his powers... I think...there is only a handful of people capable of defeating him... If he gets to Ichigo...I want you take away his powers, Byakuya...Sui-Feng. Cut his Hakusui and Saketsu, if need be."_

_ 'I...I couldn't...take that away from him... I'm sorry...Kurosaki...'_

Sui_-_Feng felt the man's grip on her throat loosen as she slumped to the ground in an unconscious state.

"Heh... Ichigo...Kurosaki... It took you a while to get here."

The ground cracked and strained under the pressure of Ichigo's Bankai as he crashed into the ground like a meteor. His black and blue Reiatsu flared behind him as he glared at the Quincy King.

"That's my line... Why'd it take you so long to confront me yourself, Juhabach...?"

* * *

Trivia:

-What made me feel slightly stupid was that even though I contain a Hebrew theophory last name (names related to God, usually the ones that end in -el, like Gabriel) and knew what it meant, I spent the entire time writing Transcender(and making up random Vollstandig names with German) and never realized that each of their Vollstandig's were simply Hebrew names? I swear I lost ten IQ points when I discovered that...

-Buzzbee's Ezequeel is a theophory meaning "Strength of God".

-Shikei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi is Japanese for "Deathscape, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. It's a Kurohitsugi enhanced by Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.

-Whew, that last chapter just pulled a serious M. Night Shyamalan on us all... _**Tiny s**__**poilers below if you haven't read it yet**_.

Since that chapter kinda ruined part of this story, namely the fact that in this story, Ichigo's Inner Hollow (coughcoughRealZangetsucoughcough) is with his human remains along side his Quincy power (coughcough1000YearOldJuhabachZangetsuLiarcoughcou gh), so it introduced some new ideas to me. Mainly dealing with Ichigo and his powers, along with his connection to Juhabach.


	24. Final Solution: Everything but the Rain

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"A text message? Who the-?"

Kisuke Urahara paused as he stared blankly at his Denreishinki. Yoruichi, in her cat form, rolled over from her position on the windowsill, yawning loudly as she stared towards her old friend.

"When did you start hitting on these young'uns, Kisuke? Didn't know you were into the high-school type..."

Yoruichi's golden eyes peeked out from behind her crossed paws as she noticed Kisuke didn't reply or joke back with her. Her head tilted as she asked, "Who's it from?"

"...Captain Unohana...and Captain Yamamoto."

The cat woman's eyes bulged out as she leaped from her spot next to Kisuke, shifting into her naked female form. Kisuke protested as she snatched the phone from his hand to see for herself. Her own eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the message on the screen.

_I kno u kno bout Kurosaki. Spill. Juha invadin SS 4 him, isnt he?_

"...What the...?"

Kisuke held his hands up in surprise as she stated, "I know, right!? I was like, 'when did Unohana learn text speak?', and then-"

"No, you idiot! Soul Society's being invaded and we gotta save Ichi-"

She was cut off as the phone jumped from her hand as it started ringing. Kisuke reached over to grab it and spoke into it, "Hello?"

_"...Is this Kisuke Urahara?"_

* * *

Mayuri Kurotsuchi sat in his lab at one of his computers. He had recently discovered a few files related to Aizen, along with some of his experiments. He began experimenting, finally being able to discover more and more about Hollowfication and this... Reishification? He was finally close to his goal when Juhabach invaded Soul Society. He decided to stay hidden in his lab, of course... They wouldn't find him...or at least he thought.

"...Is this Kisuke Urahara?"

Currently, Retsu Unohana held Minazuki in her left hand, which was placed at his throat and she was forcing him to review different videos related to Ichigo and his time in the human world long before he became a Soul Reaper... He already knew Juhabach was here for him, so he didn't understand why he was being forced to watch this. Considering the fact that a weakened Jushiro and Shunsui stood blocking the only exit, he knew he was going to be here for a while.

In Unohana's right hand, her Denreishinki was being held to Yamamoto's ear as he watched Ichigo's battle with his friends.

_"Head-Captain Yamamoto? Did you interrogate Mayuri to get in contact with me?"_

Yamamoto grunted, "What about it...? Regardless of that matter... I'm currently looking over the reports of the mysterious Ichigo Kurosaki, courtesy of Aizen's leftovers..."

_"You're sure? Aizen doesn't seem like the type to leave information like that around..."_

The elderly man stared blankly as Ichigo was kidnapped by Aizen and his lackeys, eventually being taken to some other place.

"He isn't. He wanted us to see this... But since you are in that area, I know you would know better than anyone...the truth of Ichigo Kurosaki...and whether I should let Juhabach take him away or destroy him myself."

_"I wouldn't do that, Head Captain... If Aizen left you this information behind for you to see this, then he needs to stay...away from both Aizen and Juhabach... But I'll tell you, Head Captain...the truth of Ichigo's birth, and exactly what makes him so interesting..."_

The Head-Captain's face twitched in agitation as he replied, "Really, now? Other than the fact that he is a Fullbringer with the stolen powers of Sosuke Aizen?"

_"...Ichigo was born to one of your former Captains as well. He's also a Soul Reaper...that's why you can't let Juhabach or Aizen get him."_

Jushiro panted heavily as he slumped back against the wall, still tired from his earlier battle.

"...I wonder...if Captain Kurosaki knows about this...?"

Shunsui sighed and removed his hat as he retorted, "Of course he did... Didn't you see him at the funeral? He was distracted by something."

A few minutes later, Yamamoto's expression barely changed as he listened to Kisuke on the other line. After a while, Unohana and the others turned to him expectantly as he ordered the woman to end the line. Mayuri, still agitated about his session being interrupted, looked over his shoulder as he asked, "What now, Captain Yamamoto? Are you going to save the boy, or destroy him so Aizen can't get his hands on him?"

The elder stared blankly towards the computer screen, watching more of Ichigo's roars of anger as he cursed the race of Soul Reapers. He blinked and said, "Captain Unohana... Inform all of the Captains...to prevent Ichigo Kurosaki from making contact with _him_."

As Unohana nodded and prepared the Tenteikura, yelling to all of the Captains in the area. The old man turned away and moved to walk away from the lab.

"...Old Man... Are you really gonna save him...?"

The elderly man didn't reply as he walked past him into the darkness of the underground chamber.

* * *

"...I'm not confronting you... It is you who've made the decision to seek me out."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes as he retorted, "And what the hell are you trying to say?"

"...I'm saying...that you were looking for me... Therefore, I must ask you...what is it that you want from me?"

The Quincy king smirked as he watched Ichigo's reaction. The Soul Reaper frowned and shifted his feet further as he prepared to drop into a stance.

"...That's incorrect, idiot. You've invaded Soul Society for the sole purpose of me... I'm here, so call your army off..."

Haschwalth scowled and took a step forward, though he was held back by Juhabach. The man smirked and inquired, "You think you're my only goal...? As a Quincy, Soul Reapers are my natural enemy... It makes sense that I'm invading my enemies."

"Bullshit."

Juhabach chuckled and replied, "If that's what you want to believe, then fine... I'll let you know something though... _I'm not after you._"

Ichigo's eyes widened considerably as he stared towards the Quincy.

"You're important to my plans, Ichigo Kurosaki, but you're not my enemy. You are just a means to an end. Accept your fate as my stepping stone."

Ichigo held his tired gaze for a moment longer and asked, "Then why do you want Orihime? That woman is not the same Orihime as the human I knew!"

"I know."

Juhabach smirked again at Ichigo's reaction as his stance dropped slightly.

"You see, that girl's important to me, too..."

Ichigo's expression turned to surprise as he wondered, "What does Orihime have to...?"

"...Do you know why she destroyed so many Soul Reapers, and saved but only one?"

Ichigo glared weakly at him. Haschwalth knew that this fight would last long... Ichigo was still trying to ignore Juhabach as he continued, "...Why, out of all of those she killed, did she only save you? Why didn't she allow you to die?"

"...Tch, I don't know! That doesn't fucking matter to me!"

Juhabach could see that his words were breaking through.

"...That night...after she ran from your body and allowed the Soul Reapers to find you... She didn't go back to Xcution, nor did she return home... Where did she run to that night?"

* * *

Orihime stared outside of the into the rainy night. In her hand was the black glove of the Vandenreich Quincy.

"...That glove is a special power of the Vandenreich, isn't? The Vollstandig...?"

She looked over her shoulder to Karin, who watched her from across the room.

"...Isn't the Vollstandig tailor-made for specific Quincy? Like Zanpakuto for the individual Soul Reaper? Last time I check, no two Vollstandig are the same..."

Orihime looked down at the glove before sighing. The Soul Reaper's eyes narrowed at the girl's reaction.

"...I know your father...was once a part of the Vandenreich... So tell me, then...how long have _you_ been in contact with Juhabach?"

* * *

"She killed Soul Reapers on my order...She spared you...because I have spoken your name in her presence... She has been under my watch..._since her mother and father presented her to me upon her birth._"

Juhabach held his hand out, allowing his Spirit Weapon to form in his hand as he continued, "...She walked, door-to-door, speaking to every person that knew you...because she was interested in my target... She has been a very worthy subordinate... She's discovered Ginjo's position... Through her, I have spied on Kisuke Urahara's gang... and through her, I have finally gained confirmation on your existence-"

Haschwalth almost felt sorry at the way Ichigo's resolve plummeted. Even as Ichigo tried to put the shock and betrayal in the back of his mind, Haschwalth could see it clearly as the boy interrupted his Majesty.

"I'm tired of your bullshit! I'll kill you!"

Juhabach grinned savagely as the Soul Reaper came rushing towards him, his sword poised to strike.

"...I can see your tears, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo roared, "Don't talk like you know me! You don't know a damn thing! Getsuga T-!"

"No, Kurosaki. It's you who is lost on everything."

Juhabach was unperturbed by the blood splatter on his face as he rammed his sword into Ichigo's gut, bringing him closer to his face.

"...Your Fullbring... That accursed Quincy mockery... It belongs to me, now... I have now broken Aizen's greatest weapon against me..."

Ichigo's body twitched as he felt his bone armor breakdown from his body along with his Reiatsu, and was absorbed into his Spirit Weapon. His Bankai reverted back to his sealed-form, which fell from his grasp onto the ground.

"This is the last time you will see me, Ichigo Kurosaki... Our business is done."

Ichigo had no idea when the water began dripping down his face. As Juhabach allowed him to slide from his blade, Ichigo crumbled to the ground, all feeling lost from him, and feeling more powerless than ever. His consciousness was fading fast.

_"Oh... I see you've arrived, Yamamoto... I would like to have fought you again, but the Schaten Bereich deems it is time for my escape."_

Even as he listened, the darkness embraced him. He felt the release of Ryujin Jakka behind him, but the flames felt as cold as ice to him.

_"Captain Kurosaki! It will be alright!"_

Not even Unohana's voice reached his ears. He felt her grasp his shoulders as she turned him over. He stared blankly into the darkened sky, still affected by the release of Koko Gonryo Rikyu... The rain was still pelting across his body just as hard as ever.

_Anything...but the rain..._

_ "Captain Hitsugaya, please retrieve Captain Sui-Feng! Captain Komamura, I'm going to need you to carry Captain Iba and Lieutenant Kira! Quickly!"_

Ichigo felt himself being pulled on a stretcher. He felt the darkness overwhelm him finally as he was being carried away...

He couldn't help but mumble, "...I hate the rain..."

* * *

"...Since I first entered high school..."

Karin frowned and quickly moved across the room, snatching her up by her throat. Orihime gasped as she felt her self being carried through the window, Karin being the only thing keeping her from falling out of the room. She was screaming as she struggled to pull herself up.

"Karin! What are you doing!? Let her go!"

The Soul Reaper looked back at her twin and retorted, "Fine by me! Y-"

"Karin, stop."

The woman gritted her teeth in anger as she turned back to her father. The man stood in the doorway of the kitchen just as serious as ever.

"Did you know!? Did you know that sh-!?"

Isshin's expression didn't change as he repeated, "Stop. Put her down and let her sit... I'm curious to the answer myself."

Karin growled as she stared between the girl and her father. Finally, her rational side took control and she allowed Orihime back inside of the house. Soon, two footsteps came stumbling down the stairs, and Tatsuki and Riruka yawned as they looked at everyone.

"Woah... You guys are throwing a party at this time of night?"

A deep, masculine voice spoke from the side of the room, "Well you might want to save the balloons for Ichigo."

Every occupant turned towards the sound of the voice and Riruka screamed, jumping into the arms of Tatsuki.

"Oh my God, it's a talking cat!"

Tatsuki frowned and dropped the girl onto her bottom as she commented, "What are you doing here, Mrs. Yoruichi?"

"That's a man's voice! That's not a 'Mrs.'!"

Isshin looked directly towards the black cat and asked, "What happened?"

"...Juhabach invaded the Soul Society...and fought against Ichigo Kurosaki."

Again, every occupant turned their heads as another voice spoke this time. Isshin and Karin's eyes widened in fright and everyone else in the room raised an eyebrow as they had no recognition of the figure in front of them.

"Oh shit! Dad, run!"

Isshin shook his head as he replied dramatically, "There's no point, Karin! He got us! We ain't going anywhere but to prison! Don't worry, my cute little daughters! Daddy won't let anything happen to yo~u!"

Head-Captain Yamamoto, along with Kisuke, stood in the Kurosaki Clinic's living room. The other occupants, who held no explicit knowledge of the power of the Head-Captain, felt extremely terrified as they felt the overwhelming effects of his Reiatsu, even though he sealed most of it before he came.

"...Isshin Shiba...You and your daughters will come with me to Soul Society. And you.., " he ordered, gesturing to Orihime behind them, "...are coming as well..."

Karin moved to Orihime before she could protest and stated, "You really don't have a choice in the matter."

* * *

"...Make sure that he can still breathe! He's suffering heavy Reiatsu loss!"

He wavered in and out of consciousness as he felt the healers work their magic.

"He's passing out again! Shock him!"

Ichigo's eyes twitched as he felt someone's Zanpakuto, probably a lightning-type, tap his chest and shocking him back awake.

"I'm alive! I'm alive, damnit! Stop that!"

The female healer next to him, whom he briefly noted as the supermodel sister of his Lieutenant, blinked and yelled out, "He's delusional! He thinks he's not in critical condition! Shock him again!"

"Fuck that! Touch me with that again and this will end with my foot in your ass! Get him away from me!"

He kicked the approaching Zanpakuto with his foot, knocking it away as he went for his Zanpakuto on his right. He knocked over Isane as he grabbed it, chuckling madly as he waved his sword around at the other occupants.

"Yeah, bitches! You're fucked now! Put that Zanpakuto away!"

As he kept them away from him, he heard the opening of the room's door and looked up at Captain Unohana.

"...Kurosaki, what are you doing?"

Ichigo blinked and scratched his cheek as he stuttered, "I...uh... You see, what had happened was..."

Unohana stared blankly at him as she simply pointed to the bed. Without a moment's hesitance, he leaped back into his bed, placing a sick bag on his head and putting a thermometer in his mouth as he peeked at her frightfully from beneath his covers.

"I'm sorry...! Please don't hurt me, again!"

The woman raised an eyebrow in amusement and chuckled, "At least you're back to normal...somewhat..."

Ichigo frowned and repeated, "Somewhat?"

Unohana grimaced slightly as she looked down at her clipboard. Ichigo blinked and waited.

"...Do you even feel the effects of your Fullbring anymore?"

_...Your Fullbring... That accursed Quincy mockery... It belongs to me, now._

He sighed in response and looked over at Zangetsu in the corner. Even now, he realized how awkward it was to not feel his armbands or collar. He turned back to Unohana and replied, "No... I know Juhabach took it away... So have I...become weaker?"

Unohana made no move to respond. She simply turned away to leave the room and leave Ichigo to his thoughts.

"Everyone, please leave Captain Kurosaki alone. He's going to have visitors soon..."

Ichigo looked up as Unohana and the Fourth Division members left the room. He looked over to Zangetsu before collapsing against his pillow.

* * *

Isshin gazed at Yamamoto's office in nostalgic awe as he stepped forward to the man's desk.

_'Yep... I've given many reports here...and told many lies to save my ass... I wonder if Ichigo's ever done the same?'_

Kisuke looked down at the paper work before looking back at the Head-Captain and commenting, "I'm glad you decided to save him after all..."

"Juhabach wasn't after him. The man stole his Fullbring before departing."

Kisuke, Yoruichi, and Isshin all froze as they stared at the elder man in disbelief. The man folded his arms in his lap and leaned further back in his seat.

"...Captain Sui-Feng is in severe critical condition right now, along with Captain Iba... Captain Kurosaki lost quite a bit of his power. Captain Kurotsuchi is currently on probation, and Captain Ukitake is sicker than ever... And that was contending with Juhabach's army with knowledge of all their abilities."

Yamamoto sighed and leaned his cane on his desk.

"At this moment, I'm sure Unohana can take care of them properly... But right now, Kisuke Urahara, you know more about what Juhabach and Aizen are after more so than all of us right now... I require your expertise now more than ever... You and former Captain Shihoin here."

Yoruichi blinked and stared back at Kisuke's equally shocked look as they looked towards the Head-Captain. Kisuke couldn't help but asking, "Are you asking us to come back? To become Captains here again?"

"Yes...for the time being... If you wish to leave when this is done, I have no qualms... I'll allow you to give me your answer later... However, as for you, Isshin Shiba..."

The man in question dumbly pointed at himself, causing his daughter to punch him and yell, "Now isn't the time to joke around! This is serious business!"

Isshin frowned as he stared back towards his daughter, but waved her off as he stepped closer to Yamamoto.

"...You know about Ichigo's Zanpakuto better then he does... Right now, he's too weak to even consider staying as a Captain... He needs to understand the powers of his Zanpakuto now more than ever."

While the Captain's were speaking, Yuzu paid heavy attention to Orihime, who was staring down at her feet. At the trembling of the girl's shoulders, the woman grabbed her and stated, "It's not your fault."

"Stop lying to her, Yuzu."

Yuzu frowned at her sister and reasoned, "There's probably a perfectly good explanation for this, Karin."

"Fuck that. She said she was working with Juhabach, so we don't need to hear anymore than that."

At Karin's words, Orihime wished that she could pull herself deeper and deeper into her own world and escape their accusations.

"You and your daughters may visit Kurosaki now. Take the girl with you."

Orihime tearfully looked up towards Yamamoto as the man stared back at her.

"Ichigo knows that Juhabach has been in close contact with you. Explain yourself to him or die by his hand, it matters not to me... I need my Captains to focus on this upcoming war, and I cannot have the woes of a human teenager dragging one of them down."

* * *

The Kurosaki family, plus Orihime, arrived to the Fourth Division Barracks and was being led by Unohana to his room.

"...So, Captain Unohana... When did the old man become so lenient? I though he would have killed us on the spot."

The woman looked back at him as she continued to walk forward.

"Your son. He's watched all of Aizen's left-over data and recordings of Ichigo from his human life to now. I've never known him to be so affected by the life of one person... Whatever it was, Ichigo showed him something that no other Soul Reaper has ever done."

As they turned the last corner to Ichigo's room, they noticed that Kiyone Kotetsu was staring blankly into her Captain's room.

"Lieutenant Kotetsu? What is it?"

She blinked as she stared back at Captain Unohana and began panicking, "The Captain isn't here! I opened the door to check on him and he wasn't here!"

Unohana and the others rushed into the empty room, shock chilling their bones as Yuzu wondered aloud, "Did someone kidnap Ichigo!? Where'd he go!?"

Karin frowned as she stared at a spot near the bed.

"...Maybe if you all would have paid attention, you'd noticed that he left a note on the chair."

Orihime, who was closest to it, picked it and held it out for everyone to see. They all blinked as Ichigo drew a little funny picture of him giving a peace sign and saying, "Yo", in a little thought bubble.

_Going to train. Will be back. Tell Lieutenant and friends not to panic._

* * *

Ichigo stared blankly into the bright moonlight. He stood on the edge of building as he watched the clouds wave across the moonlight. His long wait finally came to an end as he heard footsteps behind him.

"I never thought you would come back to me, Ichigo. You've been avoiding me."

Ichigo continued to stare towards the moonlight as he replied, "I don't like coming here."

"So you still don't trust me?"

Ichigo gazed over at the cloaked man before turning back to the moon.

"No. I lost my faith in you...at the same time I lost my faith in _him_."

The man blinked in sadness and looked down towards the buzzing car lights below, sweeping through the streets of the city.

"...This place is always buzzing with noise...and people..."

Ichigo looked down at the city before gazing up into the sky, "I have an entire Division to look after... You should understand the meaning of subordinates better than me."

"I do not. Stop comparing me to that man. I'm on your side."

Ichigo shrugged slightly as he replied, "How can I be so sure of that? At first, I never questioned it... Now, however... After hearing everything... What if you're no better?"

"I _am_ better. I am your Zanpakuto. I am Zangetsu."

Ichigo gazed over to his Zanpakuto spirit out of the corner of his eye. The man was dressed in a tattered black coat with a white collar and cuffs. He hand long brown hair reaching down to his back, and a pair of sunglasses wrapped around his neck. What stood out the most was the single lock falling in front of his face, the black scelera behind his blue eyes, and the shining blue light emanating from his chest. He reminded him too much of Aizen.

"...Yeah, because Aizen inserted your power into me."

Zangetsu frowned, a slightly comedic expression on his Aizen-like face, as he replied, "Yes, but you were a Soul Reaper before. All he did was awaken your powers, and I merged with your Asauchi. I am your Zanpakuto."

"...You aren't... I see now that you're one of Aizen's."

The Zanpakuto Spirit growled, baring his teeth as he repeated, "Stop comparing me to that man. I am Zangetsu."

After speaking, he leaped in front of Ichigo, landing on a telephone pole as he stared down at Ichigo. He pointed at his chest and insisted, "I am not a manipulation of Aizen. This light in my chest is from that woman. I represent her desire and will to watch over you."

_No matter what happens, I'll always be here for you... And one day, I'll be the one to show you the light to happiness... I'll open your eyes, and allow you to see world for what it is..._

"...That is why I'm here. Stop denying me. To get stronger, you have to make a connection with me, your Zanpakuto... You need to trust me... Can you do that?"

Ichigo sighed and reached over his back for his Zanpakuto. He held it and dropped in front of him, and Zangetsu's face slowly dropped as it clanged multiple times after hitting the building.

"...Very well... If that's your decision... I'm sorry for insulting you with my presence..."

The depressed Zanpakuto spirit turned back towards the moonlight and sat in complete silence.

"...No."

Surprised, the spirit turned back around and looked at Ichigo continued, "...If you're my Zanpakuto, then that means I have to trust you... So we're going to start from the bottom up. Teach me how to use your power correctly... Zangetsu."


	25. Everything but the Rain 4

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"...Mr. Kurosaki...? Why are you taking me with you...?"

Isshin continued to move through the Rukon district as he searched for Ichigo. He looked over his shoulder at her.

"...Why, you ask? Isn't it obvious? Ichigo already has very little faith in us, and no doubt he's distraught at the fact that you might be one of Juhabach's."

Orihime gulped slightly and protested, "He'll kill me!"

"You heard Yamamoto, didn't you? He wants you either on his side or off his mind. He won't progress as long as the thought of betrayal still haunts him. I'll let you talk to him first, then I can teach him some things about Zangetsu."

He chuckled underneath his breath at her slight shudder of fear. As they continued, he stopped suddenly, holding Orihime back. He looked over to his right in the forest of the Fugai district.

"We're here. I can sense him in the clearing over there."

While Orihime still could barely speak, Isshin turned to her and announced, "...Being quite honest, here... I really don't believe you're as bad as Karin believes... But I hope you have a good enough explanation to keep your ass alive."

With that, he pushed her closer to the clearing. She stopped and turned back towards Isshin and exclaimed "Wait, you're not going to let me go in alone, are you!? Surely, we'll do better going in together!?"

"...No."

Her features dropped as he pointed to the forest, threatening her with the slight click of his Zanpakuto. She turned around slowly, hugging her arms around herself as she entered the clearing.

Isshin watched her slow movements and sighed.

"...Hopefully, Ichigo will be rational..."

* * *

When Orihime arrived to Ichigo's position, she was surprised at finding him on the ground, bleeding all over his body.

"Ich-Ichigo!? Oh God, what happened to you!?"

The person in question looked up in shock as he stared into the wide, blue eyes of Orihime. He breathed deeply before collapsing back into the dirt.

"...Juhabach said...he wouldn't see me again after that last battle... I guess...this is what he meant... I'm not going down...without a fight...Orihime...!"

Orihime jumped back in fright as Ichigo held up his Zanpakuto, knees wobbling as he dropped into a stance. She quickly shouted, "I'm not here to kill you!"

"...Then how did you get here...? I know Yamamoto wouldn't let your ass waltz right in...!"

She giggled dryly as she awkwardly rubbed her cheek and corrected, "Actually, he did. He told me to come here and explain myself..."

Ichigo panted heavily as he collapsed back to the ground, the weakness gaining hold of him momentarily.

"Damn...you...! What the hell...is there to explain!? You've meeting with Juhabach...since before we met! You're no better than Aizen! You liar-!"

He was cut off as Orihime's Spirit Weapon nicked his throat slightly as she held it up to him. This was definitely something new to him. She quickly grabbed his neck, putting him in a vice grip and continuing to point her blade at Ichigo's throat.

"Listen to me before you start tossing around accusations... Don't you ever compare me to Aizen."

Ichigo cursed Zangetsu for weakening him in his inner world. He would have been able to toss her away easily. She leaned in closer to his ear and whispered, "...That night... I admit, I did know who you were at the time... But only because Juhabach has always expressed interest in you...I had no idea about you as a person..."

Ichigo grunted, "That doesn't change the fact...that you've been threatening everyone with your presence...! That Juhabach came to Soul Society and stole my powers because of you...!"

"No! I had nothing to do with that! I've long ceased working for Juhabach!"

Orihime grunted in pain as Ichigo elbow her in her temple, causing her to release him as he rolled to his feet.

"Ow! Wait, Ichigo! Lemme explai-!"

Ichigo roared, "Shut up! I don't want to hear your voice anymore!"

She jumped to her, bringing up her Spirit Weapon as it clashed with Zangetsu. She felt her hands bleed under Ichigo's heavy force. As she continued straining under his blade, she protested, "Stop this, Ichigo! I'm trying-!"

"_...Kill the Moonlight...Zangetsu..._"

* * *

Isshin's mouth dropped from the outside of the forest as he watched the large explosion appear from inside of the forest.

"Damn. Thought he was more level-headed than that."

He heard the voice of his daughter behind him as she drawled out, "Really, Dad? This is Ichigo we're talking about... Nothing is ever level-headed with him around."

"I have to agree with Karin, father. You should have known this would happen."

Isshin frowned as sighed, "I'd hope he would leave her alive... I wanted to use her to learn more about Juhabach... Guess we better intervene then..."

* * *

_Ichigo... I wonder if you can tell what I'm thinking about... I've always heard...that you can understand one better when you clash blades with them...  
_

Ichigo roared as he dashed towards her with his new Shikai. It appeared as an extended meat cleaver with a handle wrapped in bandages.

"_Stielhandgranate._"

Orihime, using her Spirit Weapon as a basis, created a destructive arrow from the hilt and fired it towards Ichigo as he came down with his Getsuga Tensho.

_...I lied... I lied to you that night...and I'm lying to you now..._

The explosion tossed both of them off of their feet as they landed on separate trees from across the clearing.

_...I saved you...because of the stories...that my mother told me... Each and every bedtime story she told me... The main character always consisted of the same features..._

Orihime and Ichigo kicked off of the tree at the same time, both clashing in mid-air.

_...They always had orange hair...and they always carried a big sword...and he always rebelled... That hero... The hero that I've heard so many stories about...has always been my greatest inspiration..._

They swiped through each other, each bleeding heavily as they landed on the ground and turned around again.

_...I saved you...because I wanted to understand the hero that my mother adored so much..._

She shot another arrow towards him, though he grabbed it before it could touch him. Before long, she felt his blade come across her chest.

_ ...I saved you...cause I had hoped...that I could believe in you...  
_

_**"Bankai!"**_

Before he could release Tensa Zangetsu, he was slashed in his back, causing him to drop to his knees in front of the fallen Orihime.

"Ichigo, I think you're going a little too far. She was trying to explain herself to you, idiot."

The last thing he saw before he blacked out was the dark hair of a female and mumbled, "Who...are...you...?"

* * *

_"...I think he's dying again. Shock him."_

Ichigo's eyes snapped wide and he moved to hit the nearest person, which happened to be Karin. In response, she swiftly dodged his fist and smirked.

"Woah, Bro... Gettin' kinda slow there, aren't ya...?"

Ichigo's eyes narrowed as he looked at her, along with the other occupants of the room. He gazed towards a middle-aged woman who was bouncing on her toes in joy as she stared at him.

"Oh my God...! I can't believe I'm seeing this right now... Daddy, hold me, 'cause I'm gonna pass out!"

Karin frowned and stared at her twin sister before shouting, "Stop acting so dramatic! He doesn't even remember us!"

Yuzu immediately hopped away from Isshin and ran to Ichigo's side as she grabbed his hand and shouted, "Do you remember me!? It's me, Big Brother! Don't you remember!?"

"...Big Brother...? Are you...?"

Yuzu nodded frivolously as Ichigo lamely finished, "Karin?", which caused both Karin and Yuzu to hold their face in their hands.

On his left, Karin complained, "We're not even real twins! We're fraternal, damnit! You shouldn't mix us up!"

He looked over to Karin, and then back to Yuzu, and then back to Karin. He blinked and said, "...You guys are old. How can you be my _little_ sisters when you both are pushing middle-age?"

"...Oh that's it, now! My foot is going in your ass as soon as you get off this bed!"

Ichigo grimaced at Karin's threat and thought to himself, _'No, that's **definitely** my sister...'_

Looking back at his other sister, he flinched at the motherly anger demonstrated on her face as she held her hands on her hips.

"...You definitely are Ichigo, alright. Just as stupid and tactless."

His eyes squinted as he yelled, "Hey! I'm not stupid! What kinda sister calls her older brother stupid!?"

"All sisters, stupid!"

Isshin and Kisuke couldn't help but chuckle as each of Ichigo's sisters grabbed his arm, threatening to rip them off as he protested.

"I guess you're excited about having Team Kurosaki back, huh?"

Isshin grinned slightly as he said, "As kitty with milk, my dear Kisuke... As a kitty with milk."

"Is that supposed to be directed to me?"

Both Kisuke and Isshin turned as Yoruichi entered the room. Isshin's eyes narrowed as he noticed Orihime was peeking out from behind her.

"...So you've decided to accept his offer, Yoruichi?"

Considering she was once again wearing the haori for the Second Division, the answer was not a real surprise.

"...Only til this crap is over... Now that I'm here again, this place seems so dull compared to the lively human world..."

Isshin blinked and exclaimed, "I know, right!? I was thinking the same thing!"

Kisuke's expression darkened as his eyes stayed glued to Orihime. She showed no reaction to him, however, as she continued to look down at her feet.

"So Unohana healed you as well... Orihime?"

At the sound of the girl's name, Ichigo's sisters stopped fighting with him and turned towards Orihime. Ichigo growled as he moved to stand from his bed, only being held down by his sisters.

"What are _you_ still doing here?"

Orihime softly insisted, "I'm here because I haven't explained everything to you. I'll tell you what I know about Juhabach... But I want to talk to Ichigo alone."

Karin rolled her eyes and drawled out sarcastically, "...Well that doesn't sound suspicious at all... After that incident in the woods, there's no way I'm leaving you alone with my brother."

"...I think we should leave..."

Everyone looked over at Yoruichi as she continued, "It's s~o _obvious_ why they want to be alone... Isshin, looks like your third grandbaby's coming."

Isshin's eyes widened and the fire lit in his eyes. He shook his fist madly in the air as he yelled, "That's right, Ichigo! Daddy's so proud of ya! Make sure to throw her on the bed and nail that pu-!"

Yuzu eep'ed and grabbed her father, clasping his mouth shut as Karin kicked him out of the room.

"Idiot father! You're so stupid!"

Kisuke shook his head at Isshin's antics as he followed Yoruichi out of the room. He paused to stare at Orihime for a moment before closing the door behind him.

The room was filled with awkward silence as Orihime slowly crept to the seat next to Ichigo.

"...You know...the last time I made contact with Juhabach...was that night... I haven't spoken to him in years before that night... I had long left his service before then..."

_...Traitorous mother... Murderous Goddess of Death... Another of your kind falls... We move closer and closer to the Holy Ragnarok... Bring me back my son...born in the darkness..._

Ichigo frowned and looked away, staring out of the window towards the sunlight.

"...He trained me...and bunch of other teenagers for the future of the Vandenreich... Their sole purpose...was to destroy the man known as 'Sosuke Aizen'."

She noticed that his attention finally shifted back to her, encouraging her to continue.

"From the start...he's always said that... the only person who could help him defeat Aizen was the boy known as Ichigo Kurosaki... We never knew what that meant, nor why wanted to find you... He never even gave a description of you."

Ichigo blinked and asked, "So how did you know...about me then?"

"...I didn't. I never put two-and-two together and connected the boy known as Ichigo Kurosaki together with the childhood hero that my mother always told me about... I saved you that night because I wanted to believe in you, not under the orders of Juhabach..."

* * *

_Eventually, she felt the incoming pressures, and stood to leave the area. Before she could move, she heard his voice speak again._

_ "Oi... The name's...Ichigo Kurosaki...a Soul Reaper... Maybe we can... meet again one day...under better circumstances?"_

_ She looked over her shoulder, noting the small grin etched under his sun-kissed, orange hair. She smiled in response and nodded as she turned back to run across the cemented ground. She continued to run as fast as she could._

_ 'That's him...! That was him...! The one Juhabach has been talking about!'_

_ She knew she had to get away... If not for the Soul Reapers coming, but for the fact that Juhabach might have seen. She hoped that he wasn't connected to her Blut Nerv at that point. She had to get home now._

_ However, that entire plan had failed when she felt a Reiatsu signature appear behind her. She slowly turned around in fright as she practically surrendered._

_ "...I sensed him when he came. I didn't use Blut Nerv you, Orihime Ishida."_

_ Juhabach stood behind her, his cloak flowing as he smirked at Orihime. Under his predatory gaze, she shuddered in fear as he fingers glided softly across her clip._

_ "...You look so afraid, compared to how easily you clung to the Vandenreich's ideals before. Didn't you want revenge on the bastard Soul Reapers who failed your mother?"_

_ Orihime's chest heaved relentlessly as she moved further away from him._

_ "...Are you listening to that traitor father of yours now? He and the rest of your family are incapable of understanding, but you... I thought you knew better."_

_ Quickly, Orihime released her clip, forming it into a bow as she took aim at him._

_ "Fullbring? I guess that would be all you would have to rely on...considering Letzt Stil took away your power when you tried to stop me the first time."_

_ Juhabach weaved in and out of the constant barrage of her Tsubaki Arrow. Before he could make a move towards her, she activated a barrier, which stood between them._

_ "No."_

_ He placed his hand on it and Orihime watched as it disintegrated before her eyes. After it collasped, Juhabach snatched her by her throat. He held up a finger, smirking at her puffed-up expression as she struggled to breathe._

_ "I'll give you one last chance, Orihime, to come back to the Vandenreich. If you chose not to, then the Vandenreich will destroy you."_

_ He pressed the finger to her chest, and she froze as a small beam of light pierced the area near her heart. He dropped her unceremoniously on the group and turned on his heel._

_ "...I've... I've seen him... My mother was right..."_

_ Juhabach turned over his shoulder as he stared down at her. She grunted as she moved to pull herself towards him, gritting her teeth as she did so._

_ "...You were right...he is the one...capable of killing Aizen..."_

_ She smirked humorlessly as she grabbed onto his leg and laughed, "And he'll kill you right after...no matter how much you try to break him down... Ichigo Kurosaki is your bane...He will...destroy you..."_

_ Juhabach frowned and pointed his finger towards her. A small beam of light appeared on the end of it, and Orihime closed her eyes as she began to pass out. Barely conscious, she never felt the __beam, and she heard one last thing._

_ "Mah, Juicebox... I can't let you kill her yet... Captain Aizen still needs her."_

* * *

_ Orihime's eyes snapped open as she woke in a familiar area, but was confused as to how._

_ "...This is... Urahara's shop?"_

_ Suddenly, she heard purring, and turned around to see the cat form of Yoruichi running about._

_ "My, my Orihime... You're lucky I found you before some pervert did..."_

_ Orihime frowned as she though of the night before and looked down at her feet._

_ "Your school clothes have been dried, thanks to that pervert Kisuke, so you can put them on and go whenever you want."_

_ She looked down at the cat and nodded before standing to her feet. As she moved to gather her clothes, she heard Yoruichi question, "So what happened last night? Did you get hammered? Or...did you get __**hammered**__?"_

_ Orihime blanched slightly at the cat, particularly as Yoruichi's eyebrows bounced at her last implications._

_ "No way! I'm not that type of girl!"_

_ Yoruichi grinned and laughed, "Sure you aren't... Teenagers find outlets to relieve stress all the time. There's nothing wrong with having fun every now and then... But seriously, you were injured pretty bad...and you had a wound exactly nineteen millimeters from your heart."_

_ Orihime paused as she pulled her skirt up, and looked down at her shoes. She slowly pulled her skirt up and moved to tie her blouse together as she replied, "It was nothing... I was tired, and I fell asleep... You know I can be sometimes..."_

_ Yoruichi continued to watch Orihime as she placed her put on her jacket and moved to the front room of the Urahara shop._

_ "Hey, Orihime!"_

_ She looked to her right as Kisuke sat there calmly, waving his fan as he stared at her from beneath his hat._

_ "...Hey, Mr. Urahara... What's got you so happy?"_

_ Yoruichi interjected as she entered room and revealed, "He's trying to hide his blush 'cause he got to touch your panties."_

_ Kisuke frowned and said, "Yoruichi, stop saying weird things like that. I'm actually happy cause __someone I've known pretty recently just came back into town yesterday."_

_ Orihime blinked at the sly grin on Kisuke's face. After a moment of awkward silence, she decided to ask, "Who?"_

_ Kisuke paused as he thought up a crap lie to tell Orihime, "...Uh...Strawberry15... He...uh...she's my online buddy... We're gonna meet up soon... As a matter of fact, we already __**bumped**__ into each other, if you get my drift."_

_ Orihime deadpanned, "You really are nothing but a shameless pervert. I'm outta here... Later!"_

_ Yoruichi watched as the girl left and wondered, "Who would have wanted to restore Orihime's powers?"_

_ "...That's what I've spent all day trying to figure out..."_

_ Orihime frowned as she left shop, as she realized they were speaking aloud on purpose. She walked aimlessly along the sidewalk, thinking about the other day..._

_ '__I wonder if that guy made it back to Soul Society okay... I hope he didn't get into too much trouble because of me...'_

_"Oi! Orihime!"_

_ She was cut from her musings as a girl with twin maroon pigtails waved her hands in Orihime's face to draw her attention. Orihime blinked as she paused in her walking._

_ "...Riruka? What is it?"_

_ The girl's eyes narrowed as she repeated her earlier question, "I asked you about your whereabouts the other day... You didn't come back to base..."_

_ Orihime's eyes popped out for a second as she struggled to think up an excuse. Eventually, she sighed and just told her the truth._

_ "...I saw a Soul Reaper being attacked by some weird Hollow... So I went to help..."_

_ Riruka raised an eyebrow as she and Orihime stopped at a crosswalk. She turned to her and asked, "Did you kill him afterward? If he was injured, you could've taken him back to base with no problems."_

_ Orihime awkwardly brought her finger to her temple as she scratched at it and meekly replied, "I...uhh... I healed him and let him escape..."_

_ The shorter girl paused in the middle of the street, and only moved when Orihime pulled her to the other side._

_ "...What...? You... You let him go?"_

_ Orihime whistled as she tried hurry away, though Riruka grabbed her and pulled her back. She flinched from the girl's anger as Riruka screamed, "Why the hell would you do that!? They're here to investigate the murders and kidnappings, and you let him go!?"_

_ "...I just... I...wasn't thinking... He just..."_

_ Riruka threw her hands in the air as huffed in annoyance and groaned, "You never think, idiot! What are you gonna do when Soul Society finds out about us!? Ginjo's gonna have your ass when he hears about this!"_

_ "...I know... But I didn't tell him everything about me... I just healed him and let him go... Considering that Hollow was so powerful, Soul Society probably believes that it was responsible for it..."_

_ Riruka sighed as she walked away, and Orihime silently followed._

_ "Did you even get the guy's name? We can be on the look out if we ever see him again, then we can rectify your mistake."_

_ Orihime slightly frowned at the "mistake" comment, but held her finger to her chin as she thought about it._

_ "...He had spiky-orange hair and a large sword on his back... His outfit was different from the other Soul Reapers, with these weird, '____X__' shaped marks on his arm and a black and white collar..."_

_ As she began describing him, Riruka once again paused in her steps, but didn't say a word. Orihime continued, "...And he said his name was..."_

* * *

"Ichigo... A year ago, I failed to kill Juhabach. I lost my powers, and Xcution helped me understand my Fullbring, so I could compensate for it... But that wasn't enough... My powers, even now that they're back, aren't enough... So I'm here... For me... For my mother's sake... I'm here..."

She dropped down to floor, her hands grasping his arm as she begged, "I'm here on my knees for you, begging for you to come-!"

* * *

Outside of the door, Isshin and Yuzu both had cups pressed against the door as they attempted to listen in. Karin stood behind them as she grumbled, "I'm sure that's not what she meant by 'being alone with Ichigo', idiots.

"Shush, Karin. My boy's becoming a man."

_"I'm here on my knees for you, begging for you to come-!"_

Isshin's eyes lit with the flames of a perverted father as he kicked down the door, causing everyone to look at him like he had grown a second head.

"Enough of this foreplay bullshit! Daddy wants to hear some real action!"

Karin's eyes widened in disbelief as she mumbled, "Oh...my... I have the absolute dumbest father in existence."

"First, you gotta whip it out! Then you thrust an-!"

Karin didn't even have to move, as Yuzu kicked her Dad for her. Ichigo and Orihime, whose eyes were both wide, stared at the group with slight annoyance. Orihime still blinked at Isshin as she lamely finished, "...with me...and help me...kill Juhabach..."

Ichigo didn't register her words as he glowered at the group outside of the room and yelled, "All of you are idiots! Get out!"

"You guys are having a lot of fun."

The group glanced at the right end of the hallway as Shinji Hirako turned the corner with Retsu Unohana.

"You sure are a rowdy bunch... I'm going to have to ask you to stop disturbing my patients."

* * *

"So what do you think they kidnapped her for...? Orihime, I mean."

Tatsuki frowned as they walked away from the school. She sighed to herself and revealed, "Most likely, since Juhabach attacked Soul Society... They probably know that he's after her..."

"You think? I don't know... When we came downstairs, everyone was pretty pissed at her... The old guy looked like he was gonna kill her."

They both paused as Uryu stood in front of them, leaning against his car. Ginjo was in the front seat, staring out of the window just as bored.

"Dad? What are you...?"

Uryu frowned and ordered, "Get in the car. Don't ask any more questions until you get in the car."

Riruka and Tatsuki both look at each other with confusion as they shrugged and followed his orders. Uryu drove as if he was in a hurry, causing Riruka and Tatsuki to bump their heads against each other.

"Yo, Dad!? What's going on!?"

While their father drove, Ginjo revealed, "We got a message from Urahara...! He told us we have to hide...!"

"Hide...? From who?"

Uryu grimaced as he turned the wheel, looking around him before he parked in a small hideaway. He turned and looked over the seat of the car as he stated, "Orihime was taken to Soul Society because they know about her involvement with the Vandenreich."

Tatsuki and Riruka blinked before repeating, "Orihime...with the Vandenreich? Old man, you're joking."

Uryu frowned and said, "No, I'm not. Quincy fall under a certain Selective Service act by Juhabach. When they reach the age of Fifteen, the child must report to Juhabach for testing...only one child. My wife and I selected Orihime."

Riruka's jaw drop as she mumbled, "Holy..."

"Orihime lost her powers a year ago because she used Letzt Stil, and I led her to Xcution to regain her powers. Juhabach still wants her as a part of his army. He's after her now since he's already stolen Kurosaki's Fullbring."

Tatsuki shook her as she said, "Dad, slow down! Why are you telling us this!? Why are you saying this now!?"

Uryu move to speak until a soft thump appeared on the top of his car. He sighed and said, "That's because I need you both to run and get Sora and the rest of Xcution...because Juhabach is sitting on top of my car."


	26. Hollowed Skies

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"Wha-What!?"

Tatsuki's statement was left unchecked as a piercing blue light embedded itself in the top of the vehicle, causing both her and Riruka to gasp in shock at the blade's close vicinity to their legs.

Ginjo growled and reached for his necklace, summoning his Fullbring outside of the window. He turned back to the girls behind him and roared, "Get the hell outta here! We'll hold him off for as long as we can!"

The girls' bodies refused to move from the shock of nearly dying. It wasn't until Uryu opened his door and rolled out of the driver's seat, firing holy arrows towards the man above the car that the girls reacted and opened their doors at the same time.

Riruka rolled out of the car, falling on her backside as she crawled away from the vehicle. The dark-cloaked figure's eyes shifted towards her, lifting his hand up slowly. She suddenly felt a hand grasp her shoulder and pull her away.

"You heard Father and Ginjo! We have to leave! Come on, get up!"

The Fullbringer shook her head as she stood to her feet, taking off in a sprint with Tatsuki. They both rounded the corner ahead, putting Uryu and Ginjo out of their sights as they escaped.

Uryu dove to his side, firing a barrage of arrows towards Juhabach's position. The man, in response, twirled his finger in a circle and created a blue flash of light that blocked the arrows. As the attack subsided, the swirling halted, revealing his Spirit Weapon.

He stabbed his blade into the roof of the car and twisted on his heel, catching Ginjo's Cross of Scaffold in his hands.

"You dare mock my presence with this power, Kugo Ginjo? You enjoy stepping on the Quincy's pride?"

The Fullbringer smirked and replied, "Damn straight! _Getsuga-_!"

Juhabach pushed him back with a single hand, and the other finished, "_Tensho!_" and released a large, green arc towards the Quincy emperor as he was thrown away. The man raised his hand, and like before, caught it within his grasp. Ginjo's expression shifted into one of surprise as the attack's composition was broken down by Juhabach.

"...Know this, that no matter how much you attempt to emulate Ichigo Kurosaki, your attempts will end in failure."

Uryu, who attempted a sneak attack, twitched in shock as Juhabach turned towards him and clapped his hands together, whispering, "_Vollmond Massaker._"

Like a dealing a deck of cards, Juhabach swung his hand in an arc, releasing an all too familiar attack to Uryu. The blast of Reishi collided with him, causing his smoky form to descend from the air towards the building behind him.

Ginjo growled as he watched Uryu fly away. He scowled as Juhabach turned back towards him and smirked as he prepared to launch another attack.

"...So you did get to Kurosaki... I felt that Reiatsu..."

The Fullbringer sighed as he thought about using his Bankai.

_'Last time I check, the Quincies can steal Bankai... There's no point in powering him up even more... Not to mention he copied Getsuga Tensho down to the very last bit of Reiatsu... How the hell is he using Reiatsu...!?'_

"...So why are you here, Juhabach? Don't you got better things to do besides harassing me?"

Juhabach tilted his head in amusement as he stated, "You know why I'm here."

The Fullbringer scowled as he settled into a stance. He allowed the Reiatsu of his Fullbring to surround his blade as he prepared to clash again.

"I really don't... Shouldn't you focus on Aizen and Soul Society instead of me? There's nothing interesting enough about me for you to come here."

Juhabach continued to grin wickedly and repeated, "You know why I'm here. Don't ask me again."

Before either one could strike, they were settled into silence as the explosion of Reiatsu was released behind them, causing both to look in the direction where Uryu fell.

They spied a large Reishi wing unfolding from the rubble of the building. Suddenly, an arrow flew from the hole in the wall, colliding with Juhabach's outstretched hand.

"_Quincy,_ _Vollstandig... Cassiel..._"

Juhabach grimaced under the pressure of the arrow, but spoke as if he weren't.

"Hmph. I remember this Vollstandig fondly... However, it's futi-"

He was cut off as he felt the large Reiatsu signature behind him. Twisting his neck in an attempt to see, he witnessed Ginjo in the air behind him, his sword covered in green energy.

At the panic in Juhabach's face, Ginjo smirked and held his blade high in the air. He slammed it down, releasing a large tower of Reiatsu and decimating most of the area beneath him.

* * *

"Come on! There's no time to stop and gander! We have to get to the hospital now!"

Riruka nodded and followed after Tatsuki as they huddled across the parking lot. They weaved in and out of the cars as they sprinted towards the sliding doors of the hospital.

As they arrived, they spotted a man pushing out another in his wheel chair. Tatsuki instantly recognized the two and screamed out, "Sora! Grandpa Ryuken!"

The white-haired man turned his head in the direction of his granddaughter's voice and grunted in response. Sora scratched his jaw awkwardly and commented, "Don't mind Gramps here... He's just cranky 'cause he hasn't take his medicine yet."

"Insolent brat. I have no need for any medicine. I'm fine."

Sora grinned and patted Ryuken's head as he cooed, "It's okay, Grandpa. I still love you just the way you are."

Ryuken had changed a lot in the years since his son had grown, though not much personality wise. His hair was longer and went to his back, and he was paler than before. He was dressed in the usual light-blue scrubs of the hospital.

Tatsuki shook her head and panted, "It's an emergency! Dad and Ginjo... Juhabach is after them! He's attacking them now!"

Ryuken pointed somewhere into the distance and deadpanned, "You mean that right there?"

The girls turned as a green blast emerged in the distance, causing Sora to pale slightly as he gazed into the distance.

"Tatsuki, Riruka. Make sure Grandpa gets home safely. I'm heading towards the enemy."

Before the girl could protest, Sora had already disappeared in a burst of speed never seen before by Tatsuki. Riruka, however, gaped and stuttered, which went ignored by the others.

Ryuken bowed his head as he sighed to himself, "That kid is more like Kurosaki than my own son... Now he's going to ruin everything that woman has been trying to hide..."

Riruka was brought back to reality as she heard the older man's words. Tatsuki grabbed the handles of her grandfather's wheelchair and turned towards Riruka.

"You'll have to go to Xcution alone! I'm taking grandfather back home!"

The pigtailed girl recollected herself and nodded, taking off away from the Ishidas. After a moment of silence, Tatsuki resumed pushing him closer to their mansion.

"...I should have known...the moment he let that woman into his life, I should have known."

As Tatsuki quickly, but gently, pushed her grandfather along the sidewalk, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "What?"

"...That mother of yours... I should have know it would have led to nothing but trouble..."

Tatsuki frowned, but said nothing in response. She assumed this was just her grandfather in one of his elderly rambles about regrets.

"...I told Uryu not to... I told him to let her grieve for Kurosaki on her own... He couldn't let her be..."

The teenager finally had enough and said, "I don't mean any disrespect, Grandpa, but I loved my mother very much, and I'd appreciate it if you'd stop bad mouthing her."

The two descended into tense silence as they finally arrived at the gates to the Ishida manor. She took him through the side door into the large kitchen and stopped him there as she called on some of the servants to bring her grandfather something to eat.

The room was filled with uncomfortable silence as Tatsuki took a seat at the table and rested her face in her hands.

"So what was that about earlier?"

Ryuken seemed to make no movement that he heard her, but answered with, "I won't speak against your mother's behalf."

"...Not that... You said that Sora was more like Ichigo, and that he was going to ruin everything mother was trying to hide... What was mother hiding?"

Again, Ryuken did not move as he continued to stare out of the window. After a while, he finally spoke again.

"That was something between her myself...and Sora... It is not my wish to speak of it unless Sora himself wishes it so... But surely, you can see the parallel."

Tatsuki frowned in response. She did understand that Sora was just as overprotective and rash as Ichigo was, from what she's heard from her father, but she still didn't understand.

"...Your mother left him an important task, and he's risking everything... That's all I can say... You can ask him yourself when he gets back."

The maid came back with a steaming bowl of mackerel miso stew, placing the tray onto Ryuken's lap. Tatsuki waved her away as she attempted to set a bowl at her table and moved over to her grandfather.

"...Is that the reason you don't like mother?"

Ryuken shook his head in response and closed his eyes. After a moment of silence, Ryuken spoke, "The woman's mind was long broken before she married my son. Uryu should have known that he could not make her happy, even if he tried... Trying to replace Kurosaki was a stupid idea..."

Tatsuki looked out towards the large explosions in distance, knowing that Sora finally arrived to the fight.

"...To be honest, I have nothing against the woman...even as she lied to my son... I just knew...that her vengeance would ruin this family... And she suffered for it when Juhabach's Hollow Bait led to her end that night..."

* * *

"So you Visored are coming here as well?"

Shinji looked back at Ichigo and denied, "I'm done with this joint. I'm just here as a representative for Soul Society, seeing as they need more allies to deal with Aizen and Juhabach."

Ichigo nodded and continued walking alongside Shinji back to the Fifth Division Barracks. The Captain gave his trademarked wave at the exuberant members of his Squad as he moved to his office door.

"...Man, this is nostalgic... I never thought I'd see the day when I could come back here."

Ichigo waved him off as he opened it and drawled, "Stop over-hyping it... This job's not all it's cracked up to be..."

"Tch, like I don't know... At last I heard, you're just as lazy as I was."

Ichigo entered the room, frowning as he noticed his sleeping Lieutenant at her desk. His papers were finished and neatly stacked, and his haori had been placed on his coat rack.

He walked over to retrieve before throwing it on and kicking back at his desk and looking at Hirako, who was frowning at himself in the mirror.

"So what are you here for? Shouldn't you be with the old man?"

Shinji tugged at his collar before snapping his fingers and smiling at himself, complimenting himself, "Man, I look good..."

Ichigo scowled and pounded his hand on his desk to get the man's attention. Annoyed, Shinji turned to him and asked, "What? I'm checking myself out, idiot... And I wanted to see how my old Division was faring."

"Yeah, whatever... So why are you here...?"

The Visored blinked and scratched his temple in confusion, causing Ichigo's frown to deepen. After a moment, Shinji clicked his fingers and said, "I remember now. Some chick said she wanted to see you... Dark skin, blonde hair...keeps her face covered?"

The other person blinked and thought about a blonde, dark-skinned woman...then finally realized and noted, "Wait, the Arrancar?"

"Wait, what? I didn't say anything about an Arrancar. I'm talking about the hot blonde chick with her little girl gang... She said she knew ya... Guess Orihime wasn't enough, huh?"

Ichigo blinked and repeated, "She _was_ one of Aizen's Arrancars, you idiot! And what the hell are you bringing up Orihime for!?"

While Shinji inwardly smirked at setting Ichigo off, the Captain simply allowed his head to collide with his desk in annoyance. The rumbling from the desk caused his Lieutenant to wake up, yawning as she blinked the sand out of her eyes.

"Cap...Captain...Kurosaki...? They...let you out?"

Ichigo lifted his face up to glance at his Lieutenant and answered, "Yeah... You can go home, now... I'll take things from here."

Even while she was still groggy, she glared at her Captain and retorted, "Yeah, after I've finished everything already... Lazy ass..," and slowly rose to her feet and left the office, leaving Ichigo and Shinji alone.

Shinji raised an eyebrow in amusement and reached into his pocket for a note. Placing it on the table, he turned away and walked off to the exit.

"Whenever you get the time off, meet with them... Those are the directions to their hideout."

As Shinji closed the door behind him, Ichigo read over the note in silence. Soon, there was knocking on his door, and he ordered, "You may come in."

_"What the hell are you knocking for, Orihime, when you can just go right in!?"_

Ichigo's eyes widened as the door was suddenly broken down, Isshin rolling to a fighting stance.

"You're nothing special just 'cause you're a Captain, Ichigo! You still got a lot to-"

He was cut off as Ichigo's foot kept him from coming too close. Yuzu, Karin, and Orihime all stumbled into the room, shocked as Ichigo continued to stomp his father further into the wooden floor.

"Hey, you might wanna stop... If you kill him, he's gonna end up here, and he'll bother you even more."

Ichigo looked over to his sister and commented, "Good idea."

"Masaki, my love...my children don't love Daddy anymore...!"

Karin kicked his face as she stepped past him, hopping on her brother's desk and looking around his office. Orihime too sat in awe as she looked around.

"Is this what you do all day? Sit in this office?"

Ichigo rubbed his head and deadpanned, "Not really... Usually, I'm either injured or something, so I'm rarely here... Even then, I let Kiyone do all the work."

Yuzu's mouth fell agape and she scolded, "Ichigo! That's not nice! You have responsibilities to-"

"Yeah, yeah. I don't care."

Suddenly, a loud bang resonated in the room as Isshin stood up and yelled, "That's my boy! Paperwork and reports don't mean shit! You gotta stay cool and hip for the young'uns!"

"...Um... Mr. Kurosaki, I'm not sure you should be saying things like that..."

However, much to Orihime's and Yuzu's chagrin, Ichigo begin vehemently nodding in agreement, causing them to sweatdrop as the two went on about the evil that was desk work. Karin snapped her fingers, gaining the attention of everyone in the room.

"...The old man said that you needed to help Ichigo connect with his Zanpakuto. Stop being an idiot, Goat-face."

Isshin grumbled as he waved away his daughter and told Ichigo to follow him. Ichigo's eyes narrowed in skepticism. He drawled out, "...Am I going to the Medical Ward after this...?"

"Most likely... But I mean, what sane man doesn't enjoy waking up to Captain Unohana?"

* * *

"Tch. This battle has taken its toll..."

Juhabach's brows rose slightly as a voice behind him denied, "Like hell am I letting you get away!"

The elder Quincy frowned before placing his forearm in front of his face, blocking the incoming kick. He twisted his head to glance at the elder Ishida brother out of the corner of his eye.

"Sora Ishida... You weren't supposed to come at this time..."

The man gritted his teeth and snarled, "And neither were you...!"

Juhabach tossed Sora over his shoulder, throwing him closer to Ginjo and Uryu. Sora skidded to a crouch and slowly stood up. He glanced over at his father, noting the Reishi armor on his chest and shoulders. The wings and robe on his waist seemed to have more texture up close, with the appearance of feathers.

Uryu frowned as he glanced at his eldest son and scolded him with, "Sora, you aren't supposed to be here. Leave Juhabach to us."

Sora didn't reply to his father and stared at Juhabach with narrowed eyes. Juhabach sat, waiting in anticipation as he knew his cover was blown. The young adult turned to his father with confused eyes as he asked, "What are you talking about, Dad? That isn't Juhabach..."

Both Uryu and Ginjo paused as they stared towards 'Juhabach', who clapped as he praised, "I thought you would have been with your little friends, but I guess I was wrong... However, you _can _see through my illusions, can't you?"

If possible, Ginjo's and Uryu's eyes could've widened further at the revelation, and Ginjo's panic began to seep into his expression as he commented, "What the fuck?"

Juhabach's form shatter in broken glass shards as Aizen stood directly in front of Sora, towering over him with Kyoka Suigetsu in his hand.

"You and Ginjo are coming with me... You have no choice in the matter."

Before he could, however, he felt numerous amount of Reiatsu signatures heading in their direction, causing him to scowl.

"...I really didn't want to make a scene. But I guess...this could be useful in the long run when Ichigo Kurosaki gets here... Try not to die before then, Sora Ishida...and tell your friends I said 'Hello'..."

He shattered into glass as Uryu's arrow slipped through his form. As Sora watched the shards scattered in their place, Sora sighed as he felt _them_ coming from a mile away.

As soon as he looked up, three craters were created in the parking zone, causing Sora to deadpan, "You guys are late... Aizen's gone already."

A gruff, angry voice yelled out, "Goddamnit! I'm blaming you, Starrk!"

The smoke cleared away, revealing three forms. One was a man dressed in a white, knee-length coat with silver on his arms and collar. He had brown hair and wore a bony necklace. The other was a dark-skinned woman dressed in baggy cargo shorts with a tight, form-fitting black jacket and a black scarf. The last one was a man dressed in an open, blue jacket with his hood over his head and baggy jeans.

"What a pain... We would've died if Sora wasn't here to see through his illusions."

The hooded man protested immediately, "We would have caught him, damnit! He didn't know we were coming!"

Sora sweatdropped and corrected, "Actually, he did. He left because you all were coming."

"See!? Punk-ass bitch ran when we were coming!"

The Quincy frowned and corrected again, "Actually, he was planning on it... Said something about it being useful for Ichigo Kurosaki..."

Starrk frowned as Sora trailed off slightly and turned back to the woman and asked, "Isn't that the guy we sent the note to...?"

She nodded and checked her watch, calling out, "Since we're done here, I'm going back home... My show's about to come on."

The others shrugged and followed after her as she began to walk away. Uryu, who was back in his normal doctor clothing, called out, "Hold up... Are you...the Arrancars that Aizen didn't kill?"

Starrk looked back at him and said, "Yeah... Don't turn us in, though... Not until we get our revenge on Aizen, at least."

The group then turned around and disappeared with Sonido, leaving Sora to face the narrowed gaze of his father.

"...So when did you start hanging around Hollows?"

Sora frowned and said, "Don't worry about it... I'm not supposed to talk to you about it."

Uryu reached out and grabbed his shoulder before he could leave and asked, "On whose grounds? I'm your father, Sora, and I have a-"

"Grandpa Ryuken...and Mom."

At the last bit, Uryu eyes widened as he let him go, leaving his son to stalk off alone. Ginjo walked up next to Uryu after placing his Cross of Scaffold around his neck as he simply stated, "...Your son's a Fullbringer..."

Uryu looked back at Ginjo before sneering, "Way to point out the obvious, idiot..."

The leader of Xcution ignored his last comment as he continued, "I thought it was odd that Orihime was the only child of yours to have Fullbring...albeit an Incomplete one... Wonder how he's he been hiding it..."

Uryu blinked and sighed, "It seems that I didn't know my children as well as I thought."

* * *

"Dad! You're back!"

Uryu closed the door behind him as he stepped into the foyer of his manor. He looked up as Tatsuki slid around the corner of the kitchen in her pajamas with a large smile on her face.

"Knew that Juhabach was all talk and no action! So where's Sora?"

The Ishida patriarch blinked and smoothly replied, "He went off with his friends... I don't know if he's coming home or not..."

Tatsuki's smile lessened, but it didn't drop from her face as she joyously announced, "Grandpa's staying with us for tonight! He's in the kitchen now!"

Uryu blinked and repeated, "Ryuken's...staying with us?" and stiffly marched towards his kitchen. Just as Tatsuki stated, Ryuken sat in his wheelchair at the table. He motioned to the seat next to him and ordered, "Uryu. Sit down... Tatsuki, I must ask you to leave us be."

The teenager blinked in response, but complied and left for her room. Uryu watched her go before turning back to his father. The man motioned for him to sit down again.

"...Sora spoke to me before we left the hospital... When I felt Aizen's Reiatsu, he and I both knew this day would come... He told me to finally tell you..."

Uryu blinked as his father spoke and asked, "What? What are you...?"

* * *

That night, Sora stood on the bridge to Karakura park. He seemed to be waiting for something...

"You finally came, Sora Ishida."

He turned on his heels as the voices spoke behind him. His face turned stony and blank as he gazed upon the form of Aizen stepping from the shadows, Kukkaporo held to his chest.

"What's with the dog?"

Aizen smirked and commented, "He's fluffy, and I like him... Is there a problem?"

Sora frowned and shook his head in response. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he walked past Aizen.

"What are you waiting for? You'll leave everyone alone if I go with you, right?"

Aizen looked over his shoulder and smirked as he glanced at the boy.

"Know that your attempt is futile, boy. My plan shall commence whether you participate or not."

Aizen reached his hand up to grab the blade that nearly swept down on his shoulder and chuckled at the dark roar that rang through the night skies.

* * *

"...I'm going to tell you...what I should have a long time ago...and what Orihime Inoue has never told you."

Uryu eyed his father as he sat in the seat and listened.

"...Your son, Sora Ishida... The last thing your wife entrusted to him...was the protection of his younger sisters..."

As Ryuken finished anticlimactically, Uryu's brows furrowed as he repeated, "That's what Ori-?"

"...I thought the parallel should have been obvious a long time ago... You saw it when he defeated the Stern Ritter. You know it to be true, even if you don't wish it to be..."

_Those type of questions don't work on me. I'm not really thinking about anything, and I let my body move on natural instinct._

"You've known the entire time that he was performing Sonido, and not Hirenkyaku nor Bringer Light... You've known from the very beginning that he was a Pure Fullbringer... A Hollowfied Quincy... You just didn't believe it."

Uryu's eye twitched in annoyance as he placed his cheek on his palm. After drumming his fingers on the table, he asked, "So what does Orihime have to do with it?"

"...She order him to protect his younger sisters and his loved ones with those powers, just as a certain Soul Reaper did long ago."

Ryuken's narrowed eyes connected with his son's widening ones, and knew that he understood.

"...Kisuke Urahara and Juhabach were both fools for not thinking of it, yet Sosuke Aizen was not... He has drawn the parallels between Ichigo Kurosaki and Sora..."

As his son continued to shake his head, Ryuken finished, "He discovered... That Orihime Inoue entrusted Ichigo Kurosaki's human remnants to Sora Ishida upon her death that night.

* * *

Trivia:

-To the reviewer that spoke about Ichigo's true Zanpakuto, I already knew that. It's just that both Hollow Ichigo and Ichigo's Quincy Powers(Real Zangetsu and Fake Zangetsu in canon) were Ichigo's Human Remnants before that chapter came out, so in this fiction, both of them would be with Sora.

This is also why Sora complained about the rain in Chapter 23.

-Vollmond Massaker is German for "Fullmoon Massacre". Basically Getsuga Tensho (Though, since it was Aizen, it wasn't real).

-Cassiel is Hebrew Theophory for "Speed of God". It's the same as his Letzt Stil, but the wings are realistic and feather-like, while the armor looks more ethereal.


	27. Hollowed Skies 2: Kill the Moonlight

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

_"Hey, little Sora... You look like you're in deep thought... Come on, spill what's on your mind!"_

_ The four-year-old blinked and looked down at his feet as his mother crouched down in front of him. As his mother looked him directly in the eye, he turned his head in another direction._

_ He could remember the disappointed frown on his mother's face as she grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to look at her._

_ "What's wrong? Did I...Did I do something wrong?"_

_ Sora's eyes steadily climbed back up to his mother's eyes as he attempted to say something. However, a shrill cry pierced the atmosphere, causing the woman's ears to twitch._

_ "...Orihime and Tatsuki need you, Mommy. You should go."_

_ The woman's eyes narrowed slightly as she picked up her son without his consent, causing him to struggle in her arms._

_ "Hey! Lemme go!"_

_ She said nothing as she held him tighter, walking through the house towards the crying infants. After a while, Sora stopped struggling and simply allowed his mother to take him with her._

_ She reached the pale-blue babies' room and finally allowed Sora to drop to his feet. The small child watched as his mother quickly move over to the crying infant. The dark-haired child was awake, through her silent cries weren't as loud as her lighter-haired twin._

_ His mother quickly reached into their white crib and picked them both up, balancing them on her hips. Tatsuki seemed to enjoy being in her mother's presence, as she immediately went to sleep on her mother's chest._

_ However, Orihime continued to cry, leading the woman to quickly place her in her son's hands and ordered, "Hold her, will you?"_

_ Sora blinked, and in the next second, he was staring the blue-eyed toddler face-to-face. She looked at him with slight interest, and he did the same to her._

_ "Uh... Hey...Lil' Hime... You...uh..."_

_ Suddenly, the little girl began giggling as she reached out to his face. He heard chuckling in the corner of the room and saw his mother place the sleeping Tatsuki back in her crib._

_ "You see, little Sora? They need you just as much as all of you need me... You're my little Sora, don't cha know? Your father and I will never abandon you."_

_ Sora said nothing in response, though his mother could see the slight tint of red and pink on his face as he stumbled towards her with Orihime. He hadn't noticed that she fell asleep as well as he placed her in her mother's arms, who laid her down next to her sister._

_ After doing that, she turned back to her son and beamed widely, saying, "You're going to have to look after them... You're their protector, after all..."_

_ Sora nodded and turned away to hide his blushing away. Soon, his mother picked him up again and carried him towards the kitchen._

_ "How about...you and me go find something to eat in the kitchen? Perhaps strawberries?"_

_ There was probably nothing in the world that could rid the small child of his joyful smile as he nodded._

* * *

_ It's been weeks since the six-year-old saw what his mother had been doing, and he knew that she knew that he was avoiding her. So he really wasn't surprised when his mother grabbed him by his shoulder and stopped him before he leave for school._

_ "Why don't you stay home for school, Sora!? Since your father's at work, I thought we could all have fun, Team Ishida-style!"_

_ Sora knew his mother was up to something, but realized there was no chance of arguing. He blinked and deadpanned, "Team Ishida without Dad, huh? Doesn't that sound suspicious...?"_

_ His mother's overwhelming smile faltered slightly, but she kept up her appearance and said, "People who aren't fun can't be a part of Team Ishida! Even Uryu! Are you telling me you don't believe in fun, Sora!?"_

_ After an hour of getting themselves ready, Sora was walking with his mother and younger sisters through Karakura town. He sweatdropped when he realized where they had stopped._

_ "Your idea of fun was to take us to daycare?"_

_ Ignoring her son, the woman ordered him to stay put as she went inside with Orihime and Tatsuki. After she went inside the daycare, He sighed and leaned back against the wall. Suddenly, he felt a large pressure from nearby, like it was calling out to him._

_ Without realizing his feet were moving on their own, Sora began charging towards the pressure and finally stopped when he realized the cause of it._

_ A large black monster with a white mask was grinding its bloody teeth against the skin of what appeared to be a child. It was hunched over the person, and the only thing Sora could see was the dangling, struggling legs of the being, which was covered in blue fabric._

_ Sora's skin paled as he heard another crunching sound, and the legs continued to violently twitch as they were pulled inside the mouth of the monster. The monster made an exaggerated slurping sound as it chuckled darkly and reveled in its latest meal._

_**"Oh...That was tasty... I like 'em youn-"**_

_ The monster paused in its speech as it noticed the small child staring at it from the end of the alleyway. Sora's blood ran cold as he fell back and crawled away from the approaching monster._

_**"Oho... I can sense something from you, boy... You can see me, can't you?"**_

_ Sora suddenly jumped to his feet to run, but the monster pounced on him before he could get too far away. He felt the slimy tongue and putrid breath of the foul beast released pressure onto his face, causing him to whimper as the large monster chuckled._

_**"Yes! Two in one day! I'm on a roll-!"**_

_ Suddenly, the monster found its arm sent to the other side of the dark alley, causing its blood to splatter the walls. The monster roared in pain as it released its grip on Sora, causing the boy to look up as he sensed someone behind him._

_ A tall man, dressed in a blue hakama and a white kosode with stripes and circular designs on it. He also had black, striped forearms and a black and white collar on his neck._

_ Other than his orange hair, which Sora thought was weird, he had a large, oversized katana, which he used to flick the blood away. He placed the sword back over his shoulder and called out, "Mr. Hollow... Do you see me going around eating your friends up? That isn't cool."_

_ The monster roared in response and dashed towards the man. Sora watched in awe as the man moved in front of him, his sleeves flowing over his arms as he pushed the kid further away._

_ "Yo, kid. Stay right there... I'll have this wrapped up in three minutes... That's how long it takes a hero to act, after all."_

_ Before the monster could get close to him, he held his blade high above his head, allowing blue energy to flare off of it like flames. He brought it down on the monster as it attempted to capture him in its jaws._

_**"Getsuga Tensho!"**_

_The dark alley flared in bright light as the flash completely eliminated the monster. After which, the guy swung his sword around his head and placed it on his back as he turned around and passed by Sora as the young one's head followed him._

_ "Your mother's here... You might want to go back with her... You might not want to tell anyone about this... Not everyone can see me."_

_ Sora's head quickly snapped around as the auburn-haired woman stood at the edge of the alley. While the man paid no attention, the boy noticed that his mother had tensed up and her large, brown eyes widened as the man sauntered past her._

_ "Hey... Hey, wait!"_

_ The orange-haired man sweatdropped as he deadpanned, "Didn't I just tell you to keep it on the down-low? Your mother probably thinks you're insane for talking to a Soul."_

_ "Who are you!? What... What are you?"_

_ The man looked over his shoulder at the small child before chuckling and continuing to walk away. Sora's expression fell as the man nearly exited the alley._

_ "Oi..," the man called out, causing Sora's head to rise again as he finished, "The name's Ichigo Kurosaki...a Soul Reaper..."_

_ Eventually, the man disappeared in a flash, leaving him behind with his mother. He turned in her direction and exclaimed, "Did you see that!? That strawberry man! He was so co~ol!"_

_ His mother didn't answer at first, as she was still frozen like a statue._

_ "Mother?"_

_ He frowned as she didn't answer for a while. Eventually, as if snapping out of a trance, she looked down at Sora and smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. She looked around wildly and laughed, "Your imaginary friend!? I can't see him, Sora! You have to tell me where he is!"_

_ Sora's expression dropped as she continued to look around. He grumbled, "Never mind..." and walked past her. He never noticed that his mother's smile dropped as well._

_ "...Come on, Sora... We're going to the park today..."_

* * *

_ Sora swung on the swing alone, as all the other children his age were in school. He wasn't interested in playing with children the same age as his sisters, so he sat and thought to himself._

_ 'That guy... He said he was a Soul Reaper... What is that supposed to mean?'_

_ He looked around the park for his mother, suddenly noting that she was no longer on the bench._

_ "Mother?"_

_ He hopped to his feet and looked around the playground, attempting to find his mother. As he neared a set of bushes, he heard her voice and moved closer to it. Then another voice spoke, causing him to freeze up._

_ 'That's...That voice... It's...'_

_ He ducked down further in the bushes as he eavesdropped on his mother and the other man, as he's always done._

_ "-saw him! He saved my son from that Hollow! I'd know that orange hair anywhere, damnit!"_

_ Sora blinked, as he realized that she was talking about Ichigo._

_ 'So she did see him...?'_

_ "Oi, hold yer chest back, Missy! I'm trying to keep him under control... I have to make sure-"_

_ It was a silver-haired man, wearing a sleeveless coat over a black outfit...almost like the one that strawberry man was wearing earlier._

_ "I don't care what you do! Just make sure that Ichigo's safe and unharmed!"_

_ The man held his hands up defensively as he reassured her with, "I know! I gotcha, I gotcha! I'll make sure Aizen won't-"_

_ He was interrupted as she grabbed the collar of his jacket, bringing him closer to her face._

_ "I don't care what that man wants with Ichigo. You keep him away from that bastard, you got me?"_

_ A drip of sweat fell from his forehead as he chuckled awkwardly and corrected, "Actually...after he goes to another Squad, the plan is to switch him to Aizen's squad..."_

_ "No! Don't you let Ichigo anywhere near that man!"_

_ The man smirked and looked away, the sly grin returning to his face as he drawled out, "You might want to stop talking... I can see your son in the bushes nearby, eavesdropping."_

_ Sora's eyes widened, along with his mother's, as his breath hitched in fear._

_ "What? Sora...!? Sora, are you there!?"_

_ After contemplating whether he should move or not, he simply decided to crawl out from underneath the bushes and looked guiltily at his feet as his mother rushed over to him and grabbed his shoulders tightly. The panic and fear in her face and tone of voice was very obvious, even to Sora._

_ "...How...How much did...you hear?"_

_ However, Sora never answered, as it was the silver-haired man who replied, "Since you mentioned Ichigo...and loads of other times before... This isn't the first time he's listened in, ya know."_

_ That caused the woman to twist her head in anger as she looked at the man and accused, "Was... Was that Hollow your doing!? Or Aizen's?"_

_ The man simply said, "Aizen, of course. He obviously wanted to tease you with Ichigo's existence," before walking away and disappearing._

_ "...Is that...a Soul Reaper?"_

_ At the sound of her son's voice, she turned back to him and grabbed him tightly, cooing, "Don't __worry about it, Sora... It's none of your concern, okay? Maybe we should-"_

_ However, he simply pushed her off of him, knocking his mother to the ground as he yelled, "Does Dad know that you're meeting other men!? How do you know that strawberry guy!?"_

_ "...Sora...!? Wait, don't-!"_

_ Before she could reach out and grab him, the boy dodged her grasp and ran away, his heart pounding as he dashed through the park area and down the roads of Karakura town. He ran through an alley in order to take a shortcut back to the hospital._

_**She's a liar... She's a-**_

_"...Santen Kesshun."_

_ Too deep within his thoughts, Sora ran into an orange shield and was knocked to the ground. As he attempted to gather himself back up, a set of footsteps echoed behind him, and he turned into the blank gaze of his mother. He looked back at the orange shield and towards the woman as he sunk further into the ground._

_ "...Sora, I'm not cheating on your father... That man is an acquaintance of mine...and Ichigo was...someone that I used to know...that died a long time ago."_

_ As her own son crawled further away from her, she reached her hand out to him._

_ "Come home with me, Sora... I will tell you everything when we get home."_

* * *

_ "What the hell? Why you get me this!? I asked for a Playstation for my birthday!"_

_ Uryu Ishida sighed, continuing to set up his nine-year-old son's cake as his wife argued with him. Orihime and Tatsuki, who were setting up the plates on the table, fearfully glanced between the arguing pair._

_ Sora Ishida held up a small chain with a four-pronged symbol on the end. He angrily took it off his neck and threw it away._

_ "Sora! That's a very important gift from your father friend! It's used to hunt Hol-!"_

_ A small cough from Uryu shut her up. She clawed at her face, attempting to calm herself down as she closed her eyes. Breathing in-and-out, she opened her eyes and calmly stated, "You should be more appreciative of your gift, Sora. You father thought long and hard about this gift, and we both think its the right time for you to use it."_

_ "I don't want a stupid chain! I want something fun! Now the kids at school are going to make fun of me!"_

_ Orihime frowned and leaned over to his ear and whispered, "Don't you wanna be able to fight the Hollows like Ichigo?"_

_ "Hell no! I don't want to see those things in my life, ever again! Stop bringing that crap up!"_

_ In a furious rage, Sora charged out of the door into the rainy night of May, completely unaware of events to come._

_**That's right... I used to hate Hollows... I was scared to death when I saw that Hollow, and I've been afraid since.**_

_Sora didn't know how long he had been running. His feet were getting tired._

_**All I remembered that night...was that I ran...really far away... I didn't know...where I was... but that night, I looked up at the stars...and everything change.**_

_A large opening in the sky had appeared, and Sora's body went pale as a large Hollow peeked out from it, releasing a large laser-like blast in the far-off distance._

_ "Sora! Sora, come here!"_

_ He didn't feel his mother's hand on his shoulder. His eyes were still focused on the people in white climbing out of the hole._

_ "Hey! Those guys! They're the Soul Reapers, right!? I can see the swords on their waists!"_

_**I didn't understand the difference between a Hollow and an Arrancar at the time... Apacci had to beat it in my brain for me to understand...when I tried to kill them when they first came here.**_

_His mother obviously disagreed as she grabbed and attempted to run. A voice, however, held her back as she blocked Sora._

_ "Heh, woman... You feel it, don't you? Those two powerhouses going at it...? I guess you came here to help your boss, huh?"_

_ Sora had no idea what he was talking about, but his mother replied, "Don't group me with Juhabach. I hold no loyalties to him."_

_ The man came out of the shadows, wearing a white, ruffled coat over a white hakama. He wore a glove on his left hand, and his face was covered by shaggy, dark hair. He looked very similar to Ichigo. He smirked and waved her off, commenting, "...Lie all you want, woman. Lord Aizen has requested I take you. You're coming with me."_

_ "And if I refuse?"_

_ The corner of his lips twitched upwards as he darkly finished, "__**Then you die.**__"_

_ All Sora was able to witness was a flash of orange light, causing him to pass out. When he awoke, the bloody form of his mother lay next to him, gripping his leg with a tightened hold._

_**I knew what was going to happen... I already knew she wasn't...coming back... That night, I **__**began to hate Hollows more than ever.**_

_ "Mo-Mother...?"_

_ She shushed him as she heaved, "It's... It's alright... Sora... I want you... I want you to protect...your sisters like I asked you to... They're going to...to need you..."_

_ "Woman! You can't hide forever! Your powers shall belong to me!"_

_ She sighed at the incoming voice and gripped Sora's leg tighter. He noticed the blue light flashing from beneath her breasts. It was almost blinding to him._

_ "I'm sorry... I haven't...been a good...mother all these years, have I...? I'm sorry...to have failed you..but hopefully...the words of this dying heathen can reach your ears...if you haven't closed them off to me..."_

_**They did... You might have died, believing that I never understood you...but I did.**_

_"...I know you'll...curse me forever...but must ask you...to carry this burden...to protect your sisters... I'm leaving...Ichigo's fate...to you..."_

_**When father told me about Ichigo... I understood his story more than anyone else... I understood my role as a protector, and realized that in this world, being afraid wasn't an option.**_

_"...You might not believe me...but I have always loved you...I just wished...I wasn't such a... disappointment to you..."_

* * *

_**That night, after my father picked me up from the hospital, I spent an entire week at the park where I left my mother behind... Just searching for something... I ended up sleeping there one night...**_

_"What the...?"_

_ Sora looked around the open city, panicking when he suddenly realized he was standing on the side of the building._

_ "Holy shit! I'm gonna di-!"_

_ A voice interrupted him, "No. This is your inner...well, actually, it belonged to someone else, but he's asleep now."_

_ Sora turned on his heels, gazing into the eyes of a dark-cloaked man. He had shaggy brown hair and a pair of orange glasses._

_ "Who...are you...?"_

_ The man's coat flared open, revealing his white undershirt. Sora noticed the gleaming manji-chain in his hand, noting it to be similar to his own. He heard a voice behind him yell, causing him to turn around.  
_

_** I began using that Quincy Cross...the one my father fashioned into a shape familiar to Ichigo... I detested Hollows, so I didn't think they deserved second chances.**_

_** "Who the hell...? You're not King! Who's this little punk ass?"**_

_Sora fell back on his bottom as he stared in the maniacal eyes of this...this Hollow...who looked quite similar to Ichigo..._

_**...I know you'll...curse me forever...but must ask you...to carry this burden...to protect your sisters... I'm leaving...Ichigo's fate...to you...**_

_**"Well... I don't know how you got here... But you better recognize who's the top dog around here!"**_

_** I began using Ichigo's Inner Hollow for my own powers... When I didn't want to simply destroy Hollows, I let that guy devour them...and they've become my power...**_

_** I decided...that I would kill Aizen... I would kill Juhabach... I would destroy all Hollows, in the hopes that my mother would understand...that I never hated her.**_

* * *

_** So this night... I'll shatter this illusion that the moon has cast overhead... I'll kill the moonlight here and now.**_

A large white coat with black fur rested on its collar, sleeves, and coattail rested on Sora's body. His hair had faded to white and lengthen, while a black fragment with a horn rested on his head.

"...Oh? It seems you've mastered Ichigo's Inner Hollow and his Quincy powers... That's good..."

He felt the burst of speed as Sora appeared behind him, taking aim with his solid black bow that took the shape of the four-pronged manji. Using his left hand to hold it, he placed his right hand in the center of it and yelled, "_Licht Regen!_"

Aizen moved as the arrows attempted to pierce him. After dodging, he saw Sora reach behind him, retrieving a Seele Schneider. Instead of a blade made of blue Reishi, a dark, foreboding blade of darkness appeared as he moved to strike Aizen again.

"...It ends here, Sora Ishida. I don't the time to play with you."

Before his blade could land a hit, he felt the blade's Reishi and his own bow breakdown, leaving him stunned as his Spirit Weapon and Seele Schneider disappeared.

_'...What...? How'd he...absorb my Reishi...?'_

He didn't have enough time to ponder the situation before Kyoka Suigetsu's sharp edge ran through his flesh, leaving him to gasp out blood as he fell back.

"Please retrieve him, Tosen. We're returning to base... All I need...is one last thing before we get to Ichigo Kurosaki."


	28. You, Yourself, and I

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"You know... I'm really not too thrilled about coming back here."

Ichigo crossed his arms in his sleeve as he and Kiyone slowly stumbled their way to the First Division Barracks. After training with his father, he was promptly dropped back into the same room for the third time. His Lieutenant barged into his room, screaming at him about some meeting with the old man.

He found himself at the familiar tall doors of the barracks, and waited as the doors opened up. He cautiously stepped into the door, making sure that Renji nor Rukia were around to hit him, before stepping through the threshold towards the Captain's attendance panels. Two familiar Captains were waiting there as they discussed among themselves.

"Urahara? Yoruichi?"

The two temporary Captains looked back at him, with Yoruichi waving her hands wildly at him. A calm and emotionless Nemu and the lard that Sui-Feng called a Lieutenant was off to the side.

"Hey! Lookin' sharp, Ichigo! So how did the training with Isshin go?"

The slight tick in Ichigo's forehead, which was barely visible under the bandages on his head, caused Kisuke to chuckle. Yoruichi's slight smile turned into full blown laughter as Ichigo grunted and walked past her to place his tag on the panel.

He looked at the two over his shoulder and asked, "You guys know where he and the others went? I thought they would have been in the hospital with me..."

Suddenly, Yoruichi began patting Ichigo's head while cooing, "Aww...! Doesn't someone sound lonely to you, Kisuke?"

"What the hell!? That hurts, damnit!"

Yoruichi grinned and continued patting his head while commenting, "I know it hurts that they left you without saying goodbye, but they still love you... It's okay, Ichi-baby."

Ichigo swatted her hand away and scowled at her as he rubbed his sore head. The giggling of his Lieutenant behind him did nothing much to ease his agitation. A voice echoed softly through the room, announcing the presence of another Captain.

"I see you have made it a goal to annoy everyone, Yoruichi Shihoin."

Byakuya and Renji both sauntered in with with a distinct air of seriousness. Stepping past the cheering Yoruichi, Byakuya placed his tag on the hook before walking off to the meeting room.

Before he could get too far, Ichigo called out, "...Yo, Byakuya. You know why this meeting was called...?"

Renji and Byakuya paused before looking back at Ichigo with confusion. Renji blinked before asking, "Where've you been? Under a rock or sumthin'? Didn't you hear...that Aizen kidnapped that Human girl's brother in the Realm of the Living?"

* * *

"Are you going to save him, Uryu?"

Uryu growled at his father as he continued to dress in an outfit familiar to Ryuken as the hooded cloak of the Stern Ritter.

"Of course I am, idiot. You think I'm gonna let Aizen take my son like that without any consequences?"

Ryuken blinked and rolled his wheelchair closer to Uryu as the man ignored him. After clasping his boots, Uryu dove into his closet and searched for the last piece necessary.

"You don't have any idea where he might be."

Uryu grunted, "It doesn't matter," as he placed a tattered white cloak over his body, preparing to leave the room. A voice that wasn't his father's stopped him.

"That wouldn't be a good idea, Uryu. Soul Society are preparing to send scouts here to find Aizen."

Uryu turned on his heels as Isshin pressed his shoulder against the window of the room. He sighed to himself and stepped out of the shadows closer to the two Quincies.

"Man, you definitely aged, Ryuken... Maybe I should start calling you _'Grandpa'_..."

The handicapped man grunted as he looked towards Isshin. His son shook his head as if clearing his mind and turned back around to leave the room.

"Screw you idiots. My son's in trouble and I have to rescue him before Aizen gets his hands on Kurosaki's remnant power."

Isshin's eyes widened as he stuttered, "Ichigo's what? What the hell are y-?"

"The woman...Orihime Inoue... When she died, she left Kurosaki's Inner Hollow and Quincy power with her eldest child in an effort to create another one like that boy... Aizen finally has his hands on Kurosaki's remnants, like he's always wanted."

Uryu and Ryuken both noticed as Isshin paled considerably. After a moment of consideration, Isshin placed his palm on his forehead in deep thought.

After a short sigh, Isshin spoke, "Aizen can't steal them, though... Sora possesses an Inner Hollow and Quincy abilities... Not to mention, due to Orihime's attack from Acidwire when she was young, Sora could have potentially become a Fullbringer on his own... You need to possess a Fullbring or the powers of a Human and a Soul Reaper in order to steal Fullbring."

"...It's funny, because I've been trying to get that into Uryu's thick skull since we both realized Sora was missing."

Uryu gritted his teeth and grounded out, "There's nothing funny about the fact that my son's life is in danger! And don't you think Aizen would have planned that already!? Otherwise, he wouldn't have kidnapped him in the first place!"

"...Then we need to save then, don't we...Father?"

Behind Uryu, Orihime and Tatsuki both stood clad in white. While Tatsuki simply wore a hooded jacket over her pants, Orihime, like her father, had went through her closet to find her old Vandenreich uniform.

"Cease this insolence at once. Go back to your rooms."

Tatsuki immediately denied, "That's a negative. My brother has done enough for us. It's our turn to save him... Not to mention that Orihime is the only one who as any idea where Aizen and the Vandenreich might be."

Ryuken and Isshin both turned to Orihime in surprise. Upon feeling everyone's eyes on her, she elaborated, "I have a hunch... The Vandenreich's base used to be in the Dangai... But I remembered reading something when I happened to look at Wikipedia..."

_"...Traitorous mother... Murderous Goddess of Death... Another of your kind falls... We move closer and closer to the Holy Ragnarok... Bring me back my son...born in the darkness..."_

_"...That was another message from the terrorist who calls himself 'Juhabach'. He's well-known for his various attacks across the Japanese front, and is responsible for the destruction of the Karakura Hospital. We still have yet to confirm the actual existence of this 'son', but police reports are investigating..."_

"...Other than sending me that vague order to capture Ichigo, I noticed that the reporters mention something about his 'various attacks across the Japanese front'... and the destruction of the Karakura Hospital... The burnt-out hospital that was recently repaired."

Isshin immediately caught on, "You think Aizen's in Karakura Town?"

"... Possibly... If Juhabach's launching continuous attacks throughout Japan and airing himself of television... Then Juhabach's most definitely here as well."

Uryu's eyes widened suddenly realized, "If Juhabach's chasing after Aizen here..."

The manor rattled slightly as a series of explosions emerged throughout Karakura.

Ryuken sighed as he finished, "Then Aizen wanted to capture Sora...to draw both Ichigo and Juhabach here... Without the Arrancar Army at his disposal...he's bringing the Gotei Thirteen's and the Vandenreich's war to Karakura Town."

* * *

"Thanks to Kurosaki here, Mayuri and I were able to devise a sure fire plan to keep our Bankai safe from the Vandenreich."

Ichigo blinked and questioned, "Whaddya mean? What did I do?"

Kisuke looked down at Ichigo and corrected, "Actually, thanks to your charm... I've been able to duplicate the effects of your Quincy protection charm. With that, as long as you wear the chain, the Reishi released from it will be absorbed by the Vandenreich's medallion."

Murmurs rang through the Captain's meeting room as Yamamoto held his hand up to silence them all. After it became silent, he leaned forward and congratulate Kisuke on a job well done.

"Now that it's been settled... The moment the Vandenreich ar-"

Yamamoto was interrupted as Genshiro Okikiba, his new Lieutenant, appeared inside the room in hurried Flash Step.

"Some of the members of the Thirteenth Squad sent a request for back up... ! The Substitute Soul Reaper Karin Arisawa and the members of the Thirteenth are locked in a skirmish with the Vandenreich in Karakura Town!"

* * *

Karin knew...she knew that the moment that Ginjo sent her father that text message about Sora being kidnapped, she knew that the day was gonna get worse.

And it was... She found herself fighting toe-to-toe with the Vandenreich calling himself, "Loyd Lloyd", which was ridiculous in its own right... What the hell kinda parent gives their child the same name twice?

All she knew was that this guy was annoying, and she was going to kill him immediately for pissing her off.

"Yuzu, go back to Urahara's old place and check on your son. Ururu might be good at watching children, but I doubt he wants to look at her depressing face for long."

Yuzu looked over to her older twin and questioned, "Are you sure? We could both take him out together an-"

"No. This guy's name pisses me off. I'm gonna fuck him up, end of story. Go get the little tyke."

Without any hesitation in her steps, Yuzu quickly left the area with Hirenkyaku. Karin blanched as another man with the exact same appearance appeared next to him.

"Did you get a good feel for her abilities, Loyd?"

The bald man smirked and nodded. The twin smiled and said, "Then go stop the girl. I'll take this one on..."

Loyd, or at least she thought that was Loyd, disappeared, leaving her alone with the other twin.

"Hello, Karin Kurosaki. My name is Royd Lloyd... The other _'Y'_ of the Vandenreich."

Karin's expression twitched in more annoyance as she yelled, "Your name is just as stupid as the other guy! I've had it with these goddamned names!"

She dashed forward, unsheathing her Zanpakuto and yelling, "_Fade through the night sky, Oborozuki_! **_Getsuga Tensho_**!"

* * *

Yuzu quickly arrived outside of the Urahara shop, which was, surprisingly, filled with a lot of customers. Turning towards a nearby customer, she grabbed her arm and asked, "Why are all these people outside of Urahara's place!?"

"...Because we all want candy? It's a candy shop, old hag. Like, get your brain check."

Her words caused Yuzu's grip to tightened on her arm in anger, but she calmed herself and let go. She continued to push through the cheering customers as she arrived inside the shop, looking for a familiar face. She spotted a red-head who was having a staring contest with her child.

"Jinta! Ichigo!"

The red-head looked up towards Yuzu as his eyes lit up in joy and relief. He waved her over, immediately pushing the boy to his mother as he yelled, "Thank God! I was tired of watching your brat while Ururu and Tessai handled the shop!"

"Why are all these people here, anyways? Urahara's place was never this popular..."

Jinta blinked and simply deadpanned, "Because Mr. Urahara's gone... Ironically, the neighbors think he's a bit of a creeper and a pedophile, so they came flocking here when they heard he got 'fired'."

Yuzu's immediate laughter came to a halt as she felt the nearby pressure of the Vandenreich. She rapidly placed Ichigo back into Jinta's hand as she announced, "Please watch Ichigo again! And get all of these people out of here!"

Jinta gaped as he found Ichigo back into his arms, causing him to panic again. Little Ichigo smirked before holding his hand out and drawling, "You turned your head away from me first. That's nearly a thousand yen you owe me... Not to mention the thousand from yesterday...and the day before that."

"You extortionist! You're just as annoying as the bigger you, damnit!"

* * *

"You fight just like your older brother. You have absolutely no technique... You just swing your sword and hope you hit something."

Karin frowned as the man gained further distance from her. After a moment of hesitation, she questioned, "Really? Is that what you think?"

"...Care to prove me wrong?"

Karin smirked and held her hand back, causing Oborozuki's edge to point towards the darkening sky.

_"Fade... Oborozuki._"

Royd frowned as the blade began breaking down into pieces. Suddenly, a large wound embedded himself in his chest, causing him to back away in pain.

_'How'd she cut me...from all the way over there!?'_

"You see, unlike my father and brother, I have a tighter grasp of control. Thanks my Wind-type Zanpakuto, Oborozuki, my blade breaks down and becomes one with the air. Each of the blade fragments release a miniaturized Getsuga Tensho, which merges with the wind and creates an air blade, allowing me to cut you from any distance. You can run if you'd like... The wind'll still catch you anyway."

The Stern Ritter grinned slightly as he rubbed at the blood on his chest. He held his hand up and said, in a high-pitched feminine voice, "How could you attack your own _sister_?"

"What are yo-?"

Karin's eyes widened as she stared into the face of her twin sister, holding her wounded chest as she teared up upon being struck down by her sister. Her face twisted from one of shock to one of rage as she screamed out, "Did you take the shape of my sister to demoralize me? You think that shit's gonna work on me!?"

She growled and soared at full speed towards the enemy, intent on striking him down for his blasphemy.

"Wait...no...! He's... They're both heading towards Little Ichigo!"

Karin paused in the air as her blade hovered over the bleeding 'Yuzu'. She hesitated for a slight moment as she found it unbelievable.

_'I...intentionally never said her son's name so they wouldn't know... How would he know...Little Ichigo...?'_

However, that moment of hesitation was all Royd needed to take advantage of Karin.

"_That shit won't work on you, huh?_"

The sickening countenance of glee on the face of Yuzu was highly unnerving, Karin dryly mused to herself, as the Stern Ritter's Spirit Weapon slashed upwards, shredding through Karin's clothing and skin and created a large wound on her chest and shoulder.

* * *

Yuzu paused as she came upon her sister, who stood on the street as if she weren't just fighting a Stern Ritter.

"You... You beat him that quickly?"

Karin blew her nails and rubbed them across her chest and shrugged, "Piece of cake, Yuzu. I told you I was gonna fuck him up, didn't I? I don't tolerate bullshit."

Yuzu sighed in relief as she stated, "Well, that's good... We can go to Ichigo now..."

Karin's eyes widened in surprise as she asked, "Is big brother here...?"

'She' found 'herself' with a bow of Reishi pointed at 'her' face.

"Not where I'm sending you, he's not. Karin's a no nonsense type, but she likes to show off if she can. There's no way she would have defeated you that fast. I'll murder you for stealing my sister's identity."

Even though Yuzu found it difficult to aim a bow at the face of her sister even if it wasn't really here, and the Stern Ritter took advantage of her hesitation to gather some distance.

"Fade...through the night sky... _Oborozuki_."

Yuzu's eyes widened as her sister's Zanpakuto was released.

_'How'd he...steal Karin's Zanpakuto...? Can the Vandenreich steal Shikai now...? Was Karin really...? By this man...?'_

"_Kuretsusen._"

Yuzu fell back as the wind blades tore through her gut, sending her flying back as the blood splattered the streets.

* * *

_"...Sosuke Aizen... If you dare impede on my children again... Then you shall face my wrath...the Holy Ragnarok is upon you..."_

_ As the video recording stopped, the well-dressed news reporter returned to her daily report._

_ "That was Juhabach again... And he seems to be quite serious about this threat to this 'Sosuke Aizen', as many reports say that he began launching a series of attacks throughout the Karakura area since early this morning. The nearby law enforcement and military forces have begun operations in order to calm the citizens. In other weather-related news, there's a storm coming and-"_

Tsukishima pressed the power button on the remote as he mused to himself, "Seems like Aizen's started a bit of a revolution a little too soon, don't you think, Ginjo?"

The other Fullbringer grunted as he leaned back in his seat, shaking the ice in his glass as he replied, "Pretty much... I think that guy must have lost it after he abandoned his old goons... We're going to need help soon..."

"Don't worry... I got it covered... I sent Giriko out to find someone. She'll be here soon..."

Ginjo looked over to Tsukishima and asked, "She? You think she can help...?"

"I'm sure she knows someone who can help... Riruka's told me all about her...that girl who can see spirits."

The Xcution leader's brows furrowed as he was wondering what his friend was up to. After downing his alcohol in a single gulp, he stood up to receive another glass. As he moved to the refrigerator, a hand closed it back in his face.

"You know, that really isn't healthy for you, Ginjo. You've had quite enough."

Ginjo snarled as the butler-like man tried to prevent him from getting his alcohol. After a moment of staring, he suddenly remembered what Tsukishima was speaking about earlier.

"Oi, what's this I hear about a girl?"

Giriko gestured behind him to a short, red-haired girl with glasses and a chain around her neck, connecting to a sliver of gold that peeked out from beneath her shirt. She shivered to herself as she stared at them with a slight fear.

"...Tsukishima, I didn't know you were into high-school chicks..."

Tsukishima chuckled slightly as he greeted, "Hello there...Raiza Honsho... I bet you're wondering why Giriko kidnapped you, huh?"

Before the girl could come up with a reply, two groaning females came out from down the hallway, both wearing nothing but towels. The red-haired one came into the room complaining.

"Where the hell are my brushes!? Is Yukio playing a jok- Honsho!? What the hell are you doing here!?"

Jackie, who wiped her face with a towel, looked towards the newcomer and asked, "You know her, Riruka? Is she a Fullbringer?"

Ginjo's brows furrowed as he looked at the two of them drunkenly and inquired, "Did both of you come out of the shower together...?"

Jackie simply deadpanned, "Pervert," while Riruka jumped as far away from Jackie as possible and yelled, "You know there are multiple showers in the bathrooms! It's a dormitory! And don't say shit like that around her! It turns her on!"

Ginjo's mouth gaped in confusion as she turned back to Raiza. Sure enough, the girl's tongue was wagging out of her mouth like a dog, while he could swear there were hearts in her eyes.

"...That's kinda hot... But Tsukishima, why would you think a lesbian would help us out? Is she a Fullbringer?"

The book-obsessed man shook his head and stepped closer to the girl.

"...You can see spirits, can you? You saw the Soul Reapers that attempted to attack Orihime, and you even attempted to save her from one of the Quincy's attacks..."

She frowned and narrowed her eyes, accusing, "You stalker! I'm not interested in men!"

"...Not after your mother complained about the man that slept with her and ran away, am I right?"

Raiza's eyes widened in shock as Tsukishima prodded her for answers.

"You're capable of finding Orihime, and she vice-versa, because you can sense Reiatsu...and possess it yourself... If you were adopted, like Orihime and Riruka believes you were, you would not have the same ability to see spirits as Chizuru Honsho...meaning that she is your birth mother."

Riruka's mouth was held agape as she commented, "Chizuru Honsho...having heterosexual contact!? Holy plot twist!"

Raiza's eyes narrowed as she drawled, "And who cares if I lied about that fact? I'm keeping my mother's image sacred."

Tsukishima shook his head as he replied, "Your mother's not important... Do you keep close contact with your father?"

"...No... But I think Mom does... At least to make sure he still sends me things..."

The interrogating Fullbringer reached into his pocket for his cell phone before dropping it in her hands and ordering, "Call her. Tell her to give us your father's number."

Raiza looked at him oddly before dialing the number for her mother and hesitantly holding it up to her ear. The shrill, yet tired voice of her mother rang through her ear.

_"Whose number is this? You better have a good reason for interrupting my sexy time."_

"Mom?"

A moment of silence filled the air as they all heard shuffling on the other end.

_"No, no! You were doing a good job! My lovely daughter is calling, so I'm going to have to ask- gah! Stop licking! That tickles!"_

Riruka angrily kicked Ginjo in the shin as his nose began bleeding, matching the perverseness of his large, never-ending grin.

_"No! You're embarrassing me while I'm on the phone with my daughter and her friends! Just play with yourself until I'm done! I'll be right there with you!"_

As Raiza sweatdropped at her mother's antics, she heard the phone being moved to her other ear as she said, "Mom...?"

_"I'm here, honey. What's up?"_

Raiza blinked and looked at all of the anxious Fullbringers around her, who were urging her to ask.

"Um... My friends... My friends know Dad...and they want to know if you can give them his cell number..."

A moment of silence ensued after her statement, and the next moment was filled with cursing and anger.

_"Fuck that good-for-nothing man! The only shit that asshole is good for is...is... Ah!"_

Ginjo would have died of blood loss as his ears reveled in the moaning sound on the other end of the line... However, Riruka punched him in the nose before he could, knocking him flat on his back and causing the blood to flow back into his nostrils.

_ "I told you to stop! Go sit in the corner, 'cause I'm punishing you for being a bad girl! Now, Raiza... Uh... Why... Why do you want to speak with him...? Is there something...wrong...? Do you...not want to stay here anymore...?"_

"No! I'm not leaving, Mom! It's just that these Fullbringer people who kidnapped me know about him, and they want to talk to him!"

There was another silent break as Raiza waited. Eventually, she heard her mother speak, and the request made her raise a brow in confusion.

_"...If there's a person nearby with the name Kugo Ginjo...put him on the phone."_

She looked around the room, waiting for one of them to claim the name of Kugo Ginjo. The perverted man on the ground hopped to his feet as he quickly reached out for the phone, grabbing and smoothly answering, "Yes? Ginjo's here... What can I _do_ you for?"

_"Nothing, 'cause I don't like men... I just wanted to let you know that out all the men in the world, I hate you the most."_

Ginjo frowned and looked off to the side as he replied, "And why is that? I haven't done anything to you..._yet_..."

_"And you're never gonna get that chance. I only slept with a man once, and that was a drunk and depressing experience... Even if he did run from me, I still consider him a good friend of mine...and I hate you the most because you were the reason he left Raiza on my doorstep."_

The Fullbringer growled, "And what did I do? Unless I know your 'one-night stand', I don't remember ruining your life, nor this little girl's."

_"...I know...that the Vandenreich leader and that guy who kidnapped Kurosaki were after you and Raiza's father the night Orihime was killed... I blame you for taking away Orihime."_

Ginjo's breath hitched as he turned away from the group suddenly and stormed out of the door, much to the protest of Raiza. As he closed the door behind him on his way out, he held the phone closer to his ear and whispered, "Verbannung wasn't my fault. Juhabach was the madman who wanted to kill all the Quincy that Aizen used as his test subjects. I'm not responsible for all Fullbringers, woman."

_"But you were responsible for Orihime. You promised him...and you promised me...that you would watch her... And you let her die that night while you cowered in your base..."_

Ginjo's expression became blank as he finally realized who the girl's father was. He remembered how Riruka described Raiza as being protective of Orihime... How she had known her since her mother died... He should have realized that her father should have been just as close to the family as the mother was.

"...I'm... I'm sorry... I c-"

_"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Raiza, if you need to feel sorry for yourself. If you would have protected her like he asked, Chad wouldn't have left Japan for fear of our lives, and he wouldn't have left us behind either... I'm sorry, but as much as I hate him for walking out on us like that, he's still the father of my child, and he is still a good friend of mine. I'm not going to let you ruin his life by bringing him back into this mess."_

* * *

"You can still move? I'm surprised. You should just stay down, Karin Kurosaki. This is embarrassing..."

The wounded Soul Reaper climbed slowly to her feet as she groaned in pain.

_'That attack...He could have killed me...but he didn't... Why didn't he take that opportunity?'_

"You should have killed me...when you had the chance... I'm gonna kill you _without_ using my Bankai.."

The Stern Ritter laughed, causing another chill to run down Karin's back as her sister's borrowed face laughed maniacally.

"Defeat me without Bankai? You surely must be joking!"

Karin set apart her feet as she moved to a slightly awkward stance, thanks to her wound, and released her Zanpakuto, allowing it to break down into the wind.

"This again? I know how to counter this technique of yours. It's quite simple."

She reared back, and the Quincy's face fell blank as the gust of wind whispered past his body.

"My blade becomes all of the wind... You've become unlucky...the moment that storm came in..."

Royd looked over his shoulders at the incoming cloud, and a part of him briefly wondered if her Zanpakuto was cause of it.

"...This isn't the effect of Shikai...that only works in Bankai... I guess this dreary day's finally lookin' up, huh?"

The Quincy smiled slyly and answered, "For us, that is... You see, as being a part of the _'Y' _duo, my brother's powers and mine are similar. We can copy other people's appearances... What makes us different is that I can copy their memories and personality... and he can copy their powers..."

Karin's eyes narrowed as she realized what he was implying. She only hoped Yuzu could handle...her own powers...

* * *

"You see, Yuzu Kurosaki, I copy and use your precious sister's techniques, including her Zanpakuto... The more techniques she releases in her battle with my brother, the stronger I'll get."

Yuzu stood on the other side of the road, aiming her Kojaku at the man who stole her sister's appearance.

"...With this storm coming in, both of our 'Zanpakuto' will get stronger with these winds..."

Yuzu panted heavily in response, and simply whispered, "_Klavier..._"

The Karin look-alike smirked and released Oborozuki, slicing through the thousands of Heilig Pfiel flying in the Stern Ritter's direction. As he slashed the arrows out of his way, Loyd looked up as Yuzu appeared above him, her foot lifted high in the air as she gathered Reishi at the end of her shoe.

"Fallrückzieher!"

* * *

Trivia:

-Oborozuki is Japanese for "Hazy Moon". As a Wind-type Zanpakuto, the blade itself breaks down into the wind and each particle uses Getsuga Tensho the wind to allow her to slash from a distance. It's similar in principle to Senbonzakura and Haineko.

-Fallrückzieher is German for "Falling Overhead Kick".

-Klavier is German for "Piano". It's the technique that Ryuken uses against Uryu where he fires the arrows one-handed in a rapid succession.

-The burnt hospital is the one that Don Kanonji visited in Canon storyline when they first meet Uryu.


	29. You, Yourself, and I 2: Warring Triad

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"If that's the case, we need to move fast. Captains Komamura, Hitsugaya, and Zaraki... I shall send you three to the Human World immediately to confront any Vandenreich members that are there. You need to act fast."

The three Captains nodded and flashed away immediately. Yamamoto then sighed to himself as he prepared to make his next decision.

"...Juhabach's not attacking Karakura without reason... The high-probability of Aizen being there means that can't forget about his presence... Captain Iba...Captain Shuhei...and Captain Kurosaki..."

Ichigo, who was feeling slightly put for not being picked for the Human World mission, snapped his head quickly towards the Head-Captain as he called his name.

"I need you to track Aizen... Whether you detain or not isn't the issue...As long as we can gather his position and any evidence on any of his hideouts, that will suffice. Find him before Juhabach does."

The three Captains nodded, and Iba and Shuhei immediately disappeared. Ichigo still stayed, which caused Yamamoto to raise his brow in questioning.

"...Did you not understand your orders?"

Ichigo blinked and shook his head before leaving immediately.

* * *

"Oi, Ichigo. What took you so long...?"

Ichigo frowned as he stepped ahead of Shuhei and Iba towards the Senkaimon.

"...It's odd... Iba and me were both damaged heavily in that last battle... And other than Kisuke and Yoruichi, who are returning Captains, we are the newest Captains..."

Captain Iba grunted as he commented, "So I wasn't the only one who thought that was suspicious, then?"

"...And not to mention that they want us to track Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tosen alone? I hav a personal vendetta against Aizen, but am I the only one getting the feeling that we're expendable?"

Shuhei stopped before he entered the Senkaimon and grabbed Ichigo's shoulder, causing the Captain to turn around as the other glared at him heavily.

"Are you accusing the Head-Captain of setting us up? Ichigo, I can't believe you..."

Ichigo held his hands up in a defensive manner as he shrugged off Shuhei's hand and protested, "H-Hey! I was just making an observation! Calm the heck down!"

Shuhei exasperated and shook his head disappointingly as he entered the gate behind Iba, leaving Ichigo to think to himself.

_'...Are they...really using us for something...?'_

He pushed the question deep into the back of mind as he stepped into the gate, though it continued to resurface.

* * *

"Kuretsusen!"

Loyd gritted his teeth in annoyance as he moved away from the shredding winds, which cleanly marked the ground in front of him with claw-like marks.

_'...That storm's no joke... If she hits me with something like that... I might be done for... Not to mention she's moving a lot faster than before... I need to play defensively...'_

"Kirchenlied! Sankt Zwinger!"

Karin's eyes shifted into one of surprise as the symbols spilled forth from his hand, creating large columns of Reishi that surrounded him as he watched the woman's reaction.

"Enter this light, woman, and you will be torn asunder by the light of the Lord! You are fast, no doubt, but you are not fast enough to avoid my attacks!"

Karin snarled and took off in a mad dash towards him, stepping foot within the circle. As she did so, a flash of light struck through the air, stabbing her in the back before she move any further.

She growled in pain as she rolled on her side, skidding a slight distance away from him. She held up her sword handle and swiped towards the Quincy with a mad slash. The face of Yuzu turned into a crooked, amused smile as the beams of light struck down the shattered blades before they could completely cross the threshold of his spell.

Oborozuki returned to its sealed form, leaving Karin shocked as she could no longer perform her long-distance techniques.

"What...? Shit-!"

She was nearly decapitated by a flying Heilig Pfiel until she ducked and rolled to the side. As she leaned against a nearby trash can, she huffed in exhaustion and annoyance, as the snide, ghost-like form of her father echoed through her ear.

_"I told you to let Daddy teach ya Kido...! Look where it's got ya now!"_

She growled and punched the ghost image of her father before moving as the trash exploded behind her.

"It looks like you don't have anything left. If you're going to fight for your survival, it would be best to use your Bankai."

She had briefly considered going back on her word about defeating him without Bankai... However...

_'I'm worried... That Yuzu'll have to fight it... And I don't know if she could win...'_

* * *

"_Heizen!_"

_'That looks more powerful than the average Heizen I've seen... But she left herself wide open...'_

Royd barely moved out of the way as the gouging pillar came flying by him. He moved in a strafe and swiped at her, landing a large, shredding slash to Yuzu's left arm.

The woman fell back hard against the pavement, rolling on her side as Royd laughed out to the heavens.

"Ahahaha! Girl, this is pathetic! You really can't land a blow on your own sister's face, can you!? It seems your sister definitely can!"

Yuzu slowly stood up without a word, panting heavily as she began feeling the effects of her large amount of blood loss.

"Haha! At this rate, you're going to pass out or die on me! Sadly, that's not what His Majesty sent me here for... You, Yuzu Kurosaki, are coming back for _'re-education'_. You have no choice in the matter, since Masaki Kurosaki was never able to send a child to the selection camp."

The man briefly wondered if his feminine voice was even getting through the woman's head, as she had yet to respond. As he was preparing to speak again, she raised her bow at him and began firing off a barrage of arrows towards.

"All action and no talk, huh!? I thought you were the sensitive one!"

He waved Oborozuki towards Yuzu and slashed through her body again, sending her flying into a nearby car with heavy force. After a moment of silence, he raised an eyebrow as she seemed to have completely lost consciousness.

He shrugged and began his trod towards her body, inching closer and closer towards her. His eyes widened as he heard a cracking sound under his foot, which through the Japanese sandals, caused a few pieces of glass to embed in his foot.

"Man, that's embarrassing... I stepped on a piece of-"

His mind began calculating the high-probability that this piece was made from that of a Ginto tube, as he noted the Reiryoku flowing out of it. He barely caught the weakened girl's voice.

"_Kirchen...lied...Bodenständige..._"

He felt white-hot lightning coarse through his veins. Suddenly, almost as if his entire body shut down, he felt no pain...or actually anything, for that matter... Not even the hand that grabbed his entire face, though he could see it.

"...Bet you're wondering what this is, since I doubt even your Lord would have told you... That's because I created it... I'm different from the other Quincy."

He heard the whirring of energy in his ear, completely unaware that Yuzu had form a small hand-bow next to his head.

"...As someone born from a Soul Reaper and a Quincy, you would wonder how I...didn't become both... While the Zanpakuto spirit of my sister's overthrew her Quincy spirit and merged with one of Mr. Urahara's Asauchi, I accepted mine with all of its blessing... When my Soul Reaper powers had no Asauchi to latch on to, my Quincy powers accepted its power. That Soul Reaper Reiryoku...are what's inside of those Ginto tubes..."

Whether he could make a reaction or not didn't matter to Yuzu as she placed her bow against his cheek. She never turned her face to him once during her explanation.

"...It's good that I can't your face... You were right... I'm not strong like my sister...who can separate such things easily... But now that I can't see it...killing you is much easier."

The streets were splattered with blood as the Quincy's brains erupted from the arrow.

* * *

"...Looks like my day's lookin' up. Your brother is dead, thanks to my sister... But even then, I still won't break my promise."

Loyd growled out, "What promise...!?" as he reached for his Vandenreich glove and yelled, "That doesn't matter! Cause I'm gonna end this-"

Karin appeared right behind him, her blade handle outstretched. Noting the lack of blade, he prepared to comment before she interrupted.

"I'm not supposed to use this in Shikai... It puts a lot of strain on Oborozuki, but she'll understand..._Fujin no Nibangetsu, Tatsumaki_."

The winds curled around the Quincy and his spell, creating razor-sharp winds that whirled into the skies for a brief moment before releasing just as quickly. The Stern Ritter's gaze had long faded to black as his entire body was ripped to shreds by the violent tornado and he collapsed in a heap on the ground.

She watched his broken and battered form for a second longer before falling back against a nearby railing in exhaustion.

"...Man, I can see why Ichigo likes doing this..."

She heard slight giggling above her and turned her head towards her older sister, who was probably in worse shape than she was.

"...Of course you would enjoy fighting, _Wind Goddess_. I don't understand how you even found a husband with the way you act."

Karin had a brief flashback of Tatsuki leading one of the woman's biggest fans, later known as her husband, to her locker room...after everyone of her games...in her locker...with her dirty clothes... She missed one of her games due to a Hollow outbreak in Tokyo, causing her to use a Soul Candy to fill in for her...and when she returned to her locker room at halftime...

_"...You dirty, dirty boy... Maybe my '__**biggest'**__ fan would like a pair of panties to take home as well? I'll sign them for you... What, ink? No, no, no, you naughty little thing...we don't need __**ink**__... Shall I?"_

She never knew what hit her...until she had to eject her soul from her body during child birth that next year.

"...I don't want to talk about it."

* * *

"Where should we start?"

Orihime looked back at her sister and said, "If Father and Mr. Kurosaki are going to check out the old hospital, then we should check other areas that might have fallen under attack."

Tatsuki frowned as she tried to think back to any attacks before then. She shrugged when she couldn't think of any. Orihime frowned as she tried to remember as well, until she remembered that Ginjo always had his television on the local news channel.

_A man sighed as the rain pelted down towards the pavement. The clinking of glass behind him held little distraction from the loud drops outside, and he held his open hand out as a remote flew to him. He changed the station to a local news report speaking about terrorist in the area._

_ "...I guess the Soul Reapers must be on their jobs if they're swarming around here... These... 'terrorist attacks'... are getting a little ridiculous, eh, Giriko?"_

"...We should check Naruki City. I have hunch... But first, we should wait."

Tatsuki blinked and inquired, "Why are we waiting? We should get there imm-"

Her hand flew to her face in agitation as she felt _his _Reiatsu even from this distance. She gave her sister an incredulous expression of disbelief as she placed her hand on her hips.

Orihime blushed slightly and turned away from her, whistling as she paced away from Tatsuki slowly until she grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.

"Really, Orihime!? When did you get one of those Soul Reaper Cell Phones!?"

Her sly smile caused Tatsuki to lower her head in annoyance as she mumbled, "I knew you had an obsession with that boy... You left Soul Society a few days ago and you already can't wait to see him...

"What!? I'm not obsessed! I just felt his Reiatsu and thought he could help us!"

Tatsuki deadpanned, "So your Raiza Sensor's been replaced by your Strawberry Buzzer?"

"Stop making fun of me!"

Tatsuki smiled for a moment until she felt another burst of Reiatsu, causing both Orihime and Tatsuki to look into the sky as they felt it.

"...It sounds like...your boyfriend's in a lot of trouble."

Orihime's features shifted to that of panic as she took off into a sprint. Before she could get far, a fireball landed in front of her, knocking her and Tatsuki off of their feet.

"Snap, _Tobiume_."

* * *

Ginjo closed the line on the phone and stepped back into the room, glancing around the room.

"...Let her go. She's done enough... And the rest of you should leave as well."

Tsukishima blinked as Ginjo dropped his cell phone in his hand and moved past him somberly.

"Uh... Is Chad coming?"

The Fullbringer's expression was full of worry as Ginjo stepped onto the balcony and stood there, as if waiting for something.

"...No. He isn't... And you all should find Yukio and leave. Run to another hideout."

Riruka blanched at his expression and yelled, "What's the matter with you, huh? What's got you so worked up?"

"...You all still have a chance, seeing as you are all Impure Fullbringers. Sadly, as a Pure Fullbringer, I fall under jurisdictions that keep me from going with you."

Riruka frowned as she thought back to the sleepover at the Kurosaki's and remembered the explanation that was given. She shook her head and questioned, "What is that supposed to mean? Shouldn't you-?"

"...As a being born of Juhabach's blood, I am susceptible for him to use Blut Nerv. At first, he was blocked, as the Hollow powers inside of me prevented him from doing so."

As he spoke, Jackie immediately realized, "And now that he has Kurosaki's Fullbringer..."

"...You should go... He already knows my position. He'll be here any moment."

Tsukishima protested, storming up to Ginjo and grabbing him, attempting to pull him along. Tsukishima found himself thrown across the Xcution room, landing on his bottom as he stared fearfully at Ginjo. The man's angry look kept him from attempting that again.

"He can see what I see, damnit! He'll simply find us all again! Jackie, I'm leaving Xcution to you!"

The dark-skinned woman nodded and reached down for Tsukishima, pulling him away as he attempted to reach out for Ginjo, though the man ignored him. As the other Fullbringers finally left, he sighed to himself and waited.

* * *

"Kurosaki, did you find anything?"

The man grumbled, "Don't label me with the same name as my son. And no, I didn't. It looks like Aizen cleared his trail before this building was attacked."

Uryu nodded and continued turning over the burned room until he stopped at a door filled with blue symbol, similar to the Star of David. The blue mark looked familiar to Uryu, but he couldn't place his finger on it. He called over Isshin with, "Oi, Kurosaki. Do you recognize this?"

"Recognize what?"

Isshin stood next to him to look at the door. He narrowed his eyes before moving closer to it.

"...I kinda recognize it... I remember that this was the symbol of the rebellious faction of the Quincy during the massacre two hundred years ago."

Uryu blinked as he asked, "Wait, what? What rebellious faction?"

"...Well, Masaki was the one who told me... That is the symbol of the original Stern Ritter from a thousand years ago up until the massacre, where the rebel Stern Ritter attempted to overthrow Soul Society."

Uryu's eyes narrowed as he wondered aloud, "So why does Sosuke Aizen's hideout have a symbol of the old Stern Ritter? Is Aizen a...?"

"I doubt it, considering he wanted to steal Ichigo's charm... However, from what I understand, Juhabach hates Aizen considerably... Maybe the answer is behind this door."

After a while of silence, Isshin moved to draw his Zanpakuto until a sharp, piercing pain shot through his left hand. Looking down, he noticed the tip of an extended blade stopping at the door before retracting.

"Shit! That was...!?"

Nearly a hundred feet away, standing on top of another building, was Gin Ichimaru in all of his smug glory.

* * *

"It seems Gin and Tosen has made contact with the Soul Reapers, eh, Ginjo?"

In the soft, leather recliner, Ginjo sat with his fist on his cheek and his legs crossed. In his right hand, a shot glass filled with liquor and ice was being shaken around mindlessly. His Cross of Scaffold rested against the arms of the seat.

Sosuke Aizen stood behind Ginjo with his own glass in his hand. The Fullbringer could hear the barking of a dog running through his home.

"...Tch, I wasn't expecting you, Aizen."

Aizen smirked and downed the glass before tossing it away. He chuckled and replied, "I know. But we are looking for the same person, so I decided to kill two birds with a stone."

"Really, Aizen? Kill two birds with a stone?"

Ginjo sighed as the other voice came from his balcony. The dark, tattered cloak gave away the identity of the being outside of the balcony door.

Juhabach pressed his finger against the glass and shattered it, sending the shards flying into the room as he stepped inside. Ginjo noted, with slight annoyance, that the man's gaze never left Aizen.

It seems he wasn't the only one he noticed, as Aizen pointed out, "You seem quite interested in me, Juhabach. Why are you so angry?"

"...For the crimes of corrupting my children, Sosuke Aizen... You know this..."

Aizen smirked and placed his hand on top of his Kyoka Suigetsu. Juhabach chuckled and waved him off.

"I have Kurosaki's Fullbring, which has bonded with his Soul Reaper powers given to him. That will not work on me."

Juhabach reached over to his side, drawing his Spirit Weapon. Unlike before, which had the wing-like guard, it was replaced with the head of a skeleton with two black, _'X'_-shaped markings across its forehead and the bridge of its nose.

"...How ironic. You hate me for creating Fullbringers, yet you've absorbed the powers of one to defeat me..."

Juhabach smirked, "It's necessary... But these powers will fade in time, and you shall be dead before then... You do not possess the powers of your ancestor... You will not live up to his name, Sosuke Aizen."

Aizen smirked and completely drew Kyoka Suigetsu from its sheathe.

"...Yes... Unlike that _bastard_ Soul Reaper, you will not be able to seal me away."

* * *

The last thing Ichigo expected when he got to Karakura Town was being blindsided by Kaname Tosen.

"You bastard...! Where is Aizen!?"

Tosen flipped away when Shuhei attempted to swipe at his feet, causing him to land on a nearby telephone pole.

"Captain Tosen!? Why are you here!?"

Iba stepped past Shuhei as he drew his Zanpakuto and corrected, "He ain't a Captain anymore, Captain Hisagi... It'd be better to think of him as an enemy..."

"Captain Iba's right. If you don't wanna fight, then sit back and watch... I'm gonna kick his ass in the 'name of justice' and find Aizen!"

Tosen's expression made no change as he unsheathed Suzumushi and rolled his neck. Iba sighed and shook his head as he complained, "...Damn, son... You really gotta work on your one-liners."

"...Shut the hell up!"

* * *

Trivia:

-Kirchenlied: Bodenständige is German for "Church Hymn: Static", and is a military term of the German Military. It's a lightning-based paralyzing technique.

What Yuzu means is that the reason Karin is Soul Reaper is because she was given an Asauchi by Kisuke, which allowed her Soul Reapers to manifest and she abandoned the Quincy powers as opposed to Yuzu who allowed the Quincy part to control hers. If she was a Soul Reaper, she would have a Lightning Zanpakuto (To contrast from Karin: Fujin and Raijin)

-Fujin no Nibangetsu: Tatsumaki is Japanese for Second Moon of the Wind God, Tornado. It's a combination of the slashing motion of Rukia's Tsukishiro and the surrounding attacks of Senbonzakura's Gokei.


	30. The Nine Valiants

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"Hey, Nemu...would you mind coming here a moment?"

Kisuke Urahara stared deeply into a screen while waiting for the Lieutenant to appear. After a moment of silence, the sliding doors opened as Nemu Kurotsuchi stepped between them. Her unemotional expression was even more sad, if that was possible.

The dimly-lit lights of the lab gave an eerie feeling of discontent, which was lost on the two scientists as they focused on the screen.

"What is it that you require of me, Captain Urahara?"

The newly-appointed Twelfth Division Captain placed his finger on a button to move to another scene. When he didn't answer, his Lieutenant attempted to repeat her question before he interrupted with, "...Have you ever seen that?"

"...Not that I recall, sir..."

The man hummed to himself as he pressed another button, causing the screen to switch to the battle with Isshin and Gin. After waiting a while, he switched back to Uryu attempting to open the door.

"...That's odd... Why would Aizen's hideout have a Quincy symbol?"

Nemu said nothing as she simply turned away from her Captain and moved to leave the room. She barely made it two steps before he called out to her, "...If you think I'm going to have your father executed, then you are mistaken... I know that you and Mayuri know something about this."

She paused right as the doors opened. She twisted on her heel as Kisuke swiveled around to face her blank expression. He sighed and stood to his feet, moving past her towards the doors.

"I'm not your enemy, Nemu Kurotsuchi... If you and your father know something, you should speak now so we can get this done...then your father can come back, alright?"

* * *

"Oh, dear... Urahara looks quite stressed out, doesn't he, Nemu?"

Kisuke briefly felt a tinge of nostalgia as he was once again in the deepest, darkest pits of the Maggot's Nest, staring face-to-face with Mayuri Kurotsuchi. He was once again reminded of how much he detested this dark, damp place.

The jester-faced convict smirked widely as he gazed upon the annoyed face of his self-proclaimed rival. Kisuke sighed before starting with, "...Look, I'm not here for games, Kurotsuchi..."

Mayuri placed his fingertips on his cheeks, his expression taking on the shape of a silent scream as he jested, "Oh no... Urahara's here for some _serious business_...! I better put my game face on..."

"..._Kurotsuchi_."

The mad scientist giggled to himself as he leaned forward on his cot and taunted, "Frustrated, aren't you? That I've discovered something before you? You already know...that I've study the Quincy long before you became a Captain, Urahara... Why do you think I was here all those years ago?"

Kisuke's eyes narrowed and grounded out, "I already knew that. I wish to know what connection Aizen had with the Quincy... I discovered a symbol on a door at one of his hideouts... A symbol related to the old Stern Ritter... The fact that you have a camera installed there means you know something."

Mayuri's head tilted in false confusion as he repeated, "Aizen's connection to the Quincy? Aizen holds no connection to the Quincy... You would have done better by asking 'What connection does Aizen have with Juhabach?"

"...What?"

The prisoner smirked and continued, "...You see... Yamamoto fought that man a thousand years ago...and the only thing you know was that he was sealed away... You believe Yamamoto sealed him away..."

Kisuke looked over to Nemu, who simply blinked at him, before turning back to Mayuri and asking, "So if it wasn't Yamamoto, then who was it?"

"...What if I was to tell you...that Aizen was related to a long line of Kido masters...the first of these being the man who sealed away Juhabach with Kyūjūrokkei Kakafūmetsu only after Yamamoto defeated him?"

The store owner's eyes narrowed further as he wondered, "So that's why Juhabach is after him? He's afraid of being sealed away again?"

"...Yes...and no... There's another pawn in this game, and he believes he has an idea...but he really doesn't."

Watching his rival's thoughts flash rapidly through his haunting eyes caused a feeling of great triumph to rise in Mayuri's body. It was euphoric, knowing that he was actually a step ahead of the scientist said to be beyond his own level.

"...I can only assume that it's related to Ichigo, right?"

Upon Mayuri's nod, Kisuke continued, "...Does it have to do with his powers...?"

"...Yes...and no."

Even Nemu gasped in slight fear as she watched the usually calm Kisuke's hand rapidly lunge out like a snake, strangling Mayuri in his grasp as he yelled, "I'm tired of that goddamned response! What the hell is happening!?"

"...It's simple...the term _'Verbannung'_... That ring any bells, Urahara? You know that it means _'excommunication'..._ That was the term used to describe the banishment and massacre of the Fullbringers..."

Mayuri was abruptly cut off as Kisuke gripped him harder and slammed his head into the bars, causing his vision to blurry as the warm blood traveled down his face.

"Get to the point...!"

If possible, the mad scientist's smile would have grown wider, but he decided not to taunt Urahara at such a moment.

"...Don't you think it's odd...? Aizen wants to transcend the boundaries of all races...so why doesn't he use a Hollow and a Quincy? Why is he solely focused on Kurosaki's powers? Why did Juhabach steal Kurosaki's Fullbring when Ginjo, the strongest Fullbringer in existence, was available?"

Suddenly, the grip on Mayuri's throat loosened and he collapsed to the ground. Upon Kisuke's widened eyes, Mayuri finished, "Either the boy's powers unlock something...or they're holding him back for some reason... Either way, the answer's behind that door... The door to the old Stern Ritter."

* * *

"Hmph. What a joke. I expected better from you."

Ichigo grunted as he was tossed away by Tosen, who then proceeded to block both Iba's and Shuhei's Zanpakuto with his blade. Out of the corner of his ear, the dark-skinned man heard, "Reap, _Kazeshini_!" and reacted appropiately.

He ducked under the chains and flashed away from Iba's next attack. As he floated away, he felt a powerful spiritual force behind him and knew immediately what was coming.

"_Kill the Moonlight, Zangetsu_! _Getsuga Tensho_!"

Tosen used his thumb to ring the blade, causing it to echo loudly. He placed his hand against the ring and whispered, "_**Bankai**_... _Cry, Suzumushi Tsuishiki._"

The ringing echoed into a large shield, which collided with the flash of light. However, Ichigo wasn't finished as he continued dashing forward. His blade, along with his body, became encased in dark energy, giving him the appearance of a dark comet raging through the sky.

Tosen's eyebrow twitched in surprise as the orange-haired Soul Reaper came flying towards him with a roar of, "_**Kokuryu Gatotsu**_!"

"Suzumushi Yonshiki: Hando!"

Suzumushi flashed in a bright light, vibrating heavily in Tosen's sweaty palms as he swung and collided with Ichigo's attack. The two blades struggled to overpower the other, causing the two to grit their teeth in frustration.

Ichigo snarled at Tosen, whose brows furrowed upon the heated glare of the younger man.

"...You seem...more angry at me than usual... I was surprised that you didn't leave for Aizen or Hinamori..."

The younger Soul Reaper gritted his teeth as he put more pressure into his blade, pushing the man back as he exclaimed, "Aizen's gonna get his...and Momo as well... But you... Out of all of those bastards, I would have never expected you to be a part of them!"

"...Odd... I would have thought that you would have understood ne more, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo growled as the balance of power shifted in their blades, causing him to push himself off of Tosen's Zanpakuto and gather some distance. After skidding along the air, he looked up to the blind man and questioned, "What do you mean by that...? There's no way in hell I could understand how you would betray those who looked up to you!"

"...I thought you would understand the lack of justice in Soul Society... That the Soul Reapers are corrupted and cruel... How easily they would sacrifice anything and everything to satisfy their pathetic lives... That the ones you depend on...are not heroes... You should not be enslaved to their ideals."

Ichigo's eyes widened as Tosen held his hand out to him and whispered, "_Come with me, Ichigo Kurosaki... I'll show you the path you seek... I'll show you the path to justice..."_

Something in Ichigo's mind triggered, and he grabbed his forehead as the searing pain of old memories overwhelmed him. Tosen, seeing that his words have triggered something, continued speaking, "I bet you've wondered...why Yamamoto sent you here. You, Captain Iba, and Shuhei...the newest of all the Captains...on such a high-ranking mission..."

"...Tryin' to use my human memories? That shit's buried in the grave, asshole... And Yamamoto sent the Captains of the Ninth, Fifth, and Third Divisions to deal with their accidents, end of story."

Tosen clicked his tongue as he mused aloud, "Really...? That could be one such thing... But here's a thought, Kurosaki... Didn't Yamamoto send another group of Captains? If Juhabach's here, with Aizen nonetheless, then where are they?"

"Who the fuck cares? They're alright, probably faring much better than we are!"

He felt a sudden explosion of pressure in the far-off distance, which caused him to stop as he recognized the signature. Tosen tilted his head toward the explosions and finished, "That's unexpected... She wasn't supposed to-"

"Enough of this! Kubikake!"

Tosen frowned as the chains of Kazeshini attempted to strangle his neck, though he slashed them away and turned towards Shuhei as he appeared on a nearby building.

"Advance, _Tanegashima_!"

On the ground, Captain Iba released his Shikai, which extended to a falchion with a protrusion on the side of it. He tilted the blade on its side, with the pick held down, before grabbing it and aiming towards Tosen.

"_Niban no Jin, Sandanjuu!_"

The blade began glowing with Reiatsu before firing a scattering hail of kido bullets towards the traitor. Tosen placed his finger inside the ring of Suzumushi and twirled it rapidly, blocking all of them.

Ichigo prepared to follow up with his own attack before Shuhei's hand grabbed his shoulder.

"No. That explosion...could be linked to the whereabouts of the other Captains... You have to go find out... Me and Iba's got business with Captain Tosen..."

He looked towards his friend before glancing at the explosion. That was...definitely _her _Reiatsu that he sensed.

* * *

"Wha...? Hinamori? What are you doing here?"

Orihime and Tatsuki both stared incredulously at the dark-haired woman wearing the school's uniform. She stood in front of them, her eyes locked in a cold, blank gaze with the two Ishida sisters. In her right hand, she wielded a blade with multiple prongs sticking out of it.

Before Orihime could question her any further, Tatsuki pushed her sister away from the Soul Reaper, her eyes narrowed with as equal intensity as Hinamori.

"Don't you remember what Mrs. Yuzu said?"

___"And I even know about the new student behind you... Momo Hinamori..."_

Orihime's gaze narrowed she recalled her words and wondered aloud, "So we were right about her after all... An undercover Soul Reaper working for Aizen."

The woman clicked her tongue as they spoke about her and twisted her grip on her Zanpakuto. She frowned and flicked her wrist, allowing her Zanpakuto to catch ablaze.

"_Snap, Tobiume._"

Both of the teenagers dodged as a fireball destroyed the area between them. Orihime rolled to her feet and drew her Spirit Weapon as soon as Momo appeared in front of her. She quickly maneuvered her hand to block her overhead strike and kicked her in the stomach.

As the Soul Reaper was thrown back, Orihime used her left hand to form a pentacle-shaped bow and placed her sword in the center of it. Momo's eyes widened as she realized that Orihime was going to fire her sword like an arrow.

"Farewell, Hinamori... I'll let Aizen know I killed you when we meet."

Tatsuki could have sworn that she heard a slight hint of laughter as the blade was launched towards Momo. Before it could penetrate her, it stopped in mid-air and surrounded her in a barrier of Reishi.

Orihime reached into her pocket and pulled out a small silver tube before tossing it at the barrier.

"_Gert Sprenger._"

Tatsuki's eyes widened as the box of Reishi exploded, pulling the surrounding trees off of their roots and tossing them around the area. Her jaws dropped as the blue light cleared, and the girl was nowhere to be seen.

"Holy shit, Orihime! Did you...learn that from the Vandenreich as well?"

Orihime turned to her fraternal twin and shrugged, responding with, "Nope. Actually, I stole it from Dad's notes... I didn't even know that would work, considering that was my Spirit Weapon and not a Seele Schneider..."

Tatsuki deadpanned as her sister nervously scratched at her head, but shrugged it off as well. They looked around the area for any signs of anyone else before attempting to creep out of the area.

"No..."

As soon as they heard the voice from behind them, their heads snapped around in shock when they realized Momo had gotten back up.

"...It's not over... Far from it, in fact... I'm not done with you, Orihime Ishida."

Orihime frowned and stepped forward, questioning, "What do you want with me? Did Aizen send you after me?"

"...No... He was interested in Sora, and wanted me to get closer to him... I, however, set my sights on you a long time ago..."

___"I really wish I could stay and chat with you a little longer, but I can sense a squad of Soul Reapers heading this way, including my Captain... I'll have to ask you to leave now before they steal your memories of tonight..."_

"That night, Captain Aizen told me that he sensed someone... I later discovered that it was you..."

___"You're not gonna get yourself in trouble again, are you, Ichigo?"_

"I decided...to see for myself...the woman who succeeded where I failed... The woman that made him happy..."

The Soul Reaper stumbled to her feet, barely holding her broken body up. However, what shocked the Quincy sisters completely was the white substance that poured from her Zanapkuto and began repairing her body.

"...Aizen forced this upon me...as a symbol of trust... Please don't judge me..."

When the last of it disappeared, she stabbed Tobiume into the ground and whispered, causing Orihime's eyes to widened in shock.

___"...Ban...kai..."_

* * *

___"Welcome, all new recruits to the Fifth Division! My name is Momo Hinamori, and I'm the Lieutenant of this Squad! I'm here to-!"_

___ The annoying, bubbly voice of the Lieutenant irked Ichigo Kurosaki's nerves, and he knew that it would annoy him further on through the years. Sighing to himself, he began shifting his gaze through the barracks he would be staying in._

___ "-you listening!? You, with the orange hair!"_

___ Ichigo began blinking when he realized that she was talking to him and simply stated, "Not really."_

___ That simple response caused the other recruits and transfers to laugh at him, and simply pissed Momo off._

___ "So we have a troublemaker, do we...? I know who you are, Ichigo Kurosaki! Captain Sui-____Feng's already informed my Captain and I about you!"_

___ Ichigo blinked and replied, "So? I didn't do anything wrong in Captain Sui-Feng's Squad."_

___ "No, you didn't do anything period! You're lazy, and I have no clue how the hell you became the Third Seat!"_

___ Yes, Ichigo was now reassured... This woman was surely going to be the bane of his existence._

* * *

___ "What the hell is this!?"_

___ Ichigo blinked as he held Renji Abarai in vice-grip, both he and the Sixth Division Lieutenant frozen like dears caught in the headlight._

___ Momo Hinamori stood at the entrance of the Fifth Squad Barracks, an incredulous, disbelieving look locked into her expression. At his Lieutenant's clenched jaw, Ichigo began stumbling over his words to explain himself._

___ "...You see...what had happened was...I mean, that is..."_

___ Momo gritted her teeth in an attempted to calm herself, though that seemed impossible. So instead, she began screaming, "You lazy, good-for-nothing bastard! Stop wrestling with this baboon and get that paperwork done!"_

___ "What's the point? Homura's doing it."_

___ If the Lieutenant could become any more pissed off than she already was, she would have done so...which is exactly what she did._

___ "You made the Fourth Seat do ____**your**____ work!? Goddamnit, Kurosaki! Renji, leave!"_

___ The redhead simply pushed Ichigo away and quickly ran out of the door, leaving his friend to the stern woman. Ichigo panicked and attempted to run as well, though he was caught by the Lieutenant before he could. She grabbed his leg and slammed his face onto the desk next to his bed._

___ "Oh, no you don't!"_

___ The widening, maniacal smirk on her face would've scared Ichigo, however, she never knew that he was gone long before she slammed him. Suddenly, the blood and the body in her hand disappeared, and she knew he used one of the Onmitsukido's tricks to escape._

___ As Ichigo escaped, he heard her scream reach him from the other side of the Seireitei._

* * *

___ "Why do you disobey me, Ichigo? You do know that I can report you for insubordination..."_

___ Ichigo rested his cheek on his fist as he stared at Momo from across her desk._

___ "...You would have turned me in a long time ago if you wanted... It's not like I do anything wrong."_

___ Momo's expression shifted to anger as she accused, "You don't do anything at all! I have no idea why Captain Aizen keeps you around!"_

___ Ichigo blinked in boredom before asking, "...Are we done here? I got things to do."_

___ "Like what!? What's more important than the division!?"_

___ The man looked outside of the window of the barracks and mumbled, "You know...stuff..."_

___ Ichigo's lame excuse led to Momo's deadpanned, narrowed gaze as she stood up from her position at the desk. She walked around the desk and kneeled at Ichigo's side while grabbing his shoulder._

___ "...We're all friends in this Division, Ichigo. Why do you treat me like I'm your enemy?"_

___ The man raised an eyebrow before protesting at her words._

___ "What!? It's not like I hate you, or anything... You...you're just annoying, sometimes...and you're always on my case... If anything, I should be asking you that question."_

___ Momo blinked before asking, "You think I hate you? I've never disliked anyone...! Ever...!"_

___ "...Until I came to the Division, that is...?"_

___ At Ichigo's words, she stood up and turned away, facing the only light-source in the room. She thought on his accusation before leaning back into her desk and sighing._

___ "...I guess...there is something about you that riles me up... Captain Sui-Feng and Captain Aizen both claimed that you were quite a pitiful worker, yet you held a seated position in the Second Squad and now, you're a Third Seat in the Fifth... I just don't understand..."_

___ Ichigo simply shrugged, which caused her to become slightly more annoyed. Before she could speak, the Third Seat interrupted._

___ "Can I go, now? If you got a problem with the Captain's decision, then you should be talkin' to Aizen, not me."_

___ Before she could reprimand him for not addressing the Captain properly, Ichigo had disappeared from his seat and had escaped through the window, leaving Momo alone to reflect to herself._

___ "...I just don't understand...whether the Captain's going to replace me or not..."_

* * *

___ "...You're not insane... I still believe in you."_

_ She simply smirked drunkenly, and Ichigo frowned as she coyly mocked, "____You __still believe in me? Like ____that's__ supposed to make me feel better? You're crazier than I am if you really believe that."_

_ Renji, who had finally stopped cursing at everything in existence, placed his hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture._

_ "Momo... It wasn't Ichigo's fault... H-"_

_ She shrugged his hand away as she stumbled away from him, collapsing into Ichigo's arms._

_ "...Momo... I told you that I was sorry... I tried, but..."_

_ The Lieutenant attempted to push Ichigo away, crying out, "But you didn't try hard enough! Captain Aizen died because of you!"_

_ Suddenly, something snapped in Ichigo's mind, and he grabbed her by the collar and brought her to his face. She was shocked as he suddenly began screaming, "I though you were stronger than this, Momo...! That's why Aizen picked you as his Lieutenant in the first place! He sacrificed himself for both of us, damnit! You can stay here and bitch around, blaming me if you want to, but I'm gonna hunt down the sons of bitches that killed him! If you feel the same as me, then meet me in the hall and stand with me as my Lieutenant! If not, then hand me your resignation forms after this meeting and die in padded walls for all I care!"_

_ Momo stood frozen as Ichigo yelled in her face, dropping her on the ground as he turned away and walked into the opening._

* * *

___ The only thing that lit up the night was the bright, full moon above the Seireitei. It was quite ____nice to Momo as her feet softly padded through the barracks back to her quarters, which was Captain ____Aizen's old room. As she prepared to stop by it, she noticed a looming figure standing on the rooftops. The long haori and bright orange gave away the identity of the person, and she simply watched him._

___ Ichigo stood with his hand on Zangetsu's hilt, whispering out loud to the night air. Frightened of being caught in such a situation caused her to take cover behind a wooden pillar._

___ "...Still not close to remembering anything, Zangetsu...and now, Captain Aizen's gone... I guess...I should put that behind me and focus on keeping the Division together, like the Captain wanted..."_

___ The Lieutenant gasped slightly as she heard her name being spoke and slowly slid down the wall to a low crouch._

___ "...It seems...all I'm good at is letting people down...even Momo... I wonder...if I disappointed a lot of friends when I was alive...something tells me that I did..."_

___ Momo's eyes glanced at every place but Ichigo's position. She couldn't believe that Ichigo was still unsure of himself._

___ 'Even after he screamed at me earlier...he still blames himself...?'_

* * *

___ Momo sadly watched Toshiro until a hand grabbed her ankle, and she turned back to gaze into the solemn eyes of her own Captain._

___ "...Why...? No...I won't ask you why... I already know the answer to that... I'll ask you... Is this what you really want...?"_

___ When Momo heard the crushed, defeated tone in Ichigo's voice, she was reminded of that night._

___ '...Ichigo... I'm so sorry... I didn't...want to become a burden to you... You wanted to avenge ____Aizen for me, even though you were afraid... You became a Captain because you didn't want to let me down... But it's always been me... I've always looked down on you...when you've always been much more then me... So I'll leave you... I'll go with Aizen, and kill him for the both of us...so you won't have to worry, Ichigo...'_

___ Even though she knew that Ichigo would never be able know her thoughts, she hoped her gaze could make him understand. Remembering what she was doing, she kicked his hand away and screamed, "This is my future, Ichigo...! Accept it...! The next time I see you, I'll kill with my bare hands for allowing Captain Aizen to die!"_

___ As she said that, a golden barrier separated the two. As they began to float away, Momo noticed the lost, misunderstood expression on his face, and she crouched down to reassure him before she left._

___ "...I'm sorry, Ichigo... I really didn't want to hurt you... But I have to do this... I hope you'll forget about me..."_

* * *

___ "You know tha' he still worries about ya, Hinamori... Leavin' 'em probably made it worse, ya know..."_

___ Momo frowned before walking around Gin and moving towards Aizen's throne room._

___ "...I know... Ichigo's a protector... He's never going to stop until he gets rid of Aizen and brings everything back to normal...and that's what hurts me the most..."_

___ Gin swiveled on his feet and looked towards Momo and revealed, "Aizen's going to rebuild your Zanpakuto with his Hollowfied Asauchi...to make sure you're still loyal to him after that little stunt you pulled at Central Forty-Six."_

___ "I know."_

___ Gin pressed on with, "You think Strawberry Yum-Yums is gonna forgive you for that...?"_

___ "No. But I'll allow him to kill me if it comes to that...because that would mean that I'm no longer hurting him...and dragging him down..."_

___ The man's slitted eyes slowly opened with a narrowed gaze as he whispered, "...That would kill him more than anything, Hinamori... You just don't understand."_

* * *

Orihime's eyes widened as Momo was encased in flaming shell. The flames then erupted into the sky, creating a large tower of burning embers.

___So...I wish to see, Orihime Ishida...why I've caused him nothing but pain...and you gave him the opposite..._

The flames had mostly dispersed, though a few patches still scorched the ground. Orihime stood frozen as Momo emerged from the flames. Her legs were covered in a pair of skeletal pants with dark slits on them. A white kosode top with bony pauldrons rested on her upper body, tucked into the pants and tied by a white obi. A red scarf weaved through the pauldrons and went behind her head, with the ends of it waving behind her.

___...I want...to cause him less pain..._

Momo's hair had faded to a dark red and grown longer, creating two large bangs in her face held together with black clips. Another clip, similar in shape to her Zanpakuto, rested on her head, but held a much more jagged, cruel look.

___...So show me...your resolve..._

Her face, however, was much more fearsome to Orihime. Her eyes, usually wide and brown, were narrowed and darkened to a rouge color. Bloody-red lipstick tainted her lips, and a trail of red tear markings rested on her face. Her lips curled to a blank, stern look as she mumbled, ___**"...Bankai... Yoen Tenky**____**u**____** Tobiume..."**_

___...Show me...the embers that burn brightly when you're with Ichigo..._

**___"...Snap..."_**

As she spoke, the dark slits on her pants and pauldrons erupted into flames, giving her the appearance of wearing a pair of burning hakama. The ribbons and the tips of her hair and bangs burst into red and orange flames, and the flared scarf seemed like burning wings flowing behind her. Her Zanpakuto, which was made of bone, was encased in flames similar to Yamamoto's Shikai.

"...Let's end this, Orihime Ishida...before Ichigo arrives."

* * *

"Hopefully, the old man will keep him covered..."

Uryu had broken past the door's seal and and found himself in a frozen hallway, which reminded him highly of the Vandenreich headquarters. The walls were lined with blue crosses, similar to the design of the hospital his father owned. That sudden thought made he realized that the walls were made of Soul-synthesized silver and glass.

"...So Aizen selected this hideout because it was related to the Quincy... I wonder how this ice survived after the flames burned it down..."

Instead of questioning it further, he moved deeper into the hallway towards the bright light at the end of it. He finally crossed the threshold into the room and was confused by what he saw.

"What...? Some sort of...memorial room?"

The walls, like the hallway, was lined with crosses. The floors were just as cold as the outside. However, a series of frozen crosses, nine to be exact, lined up in an arrowhead formation towards the very center of the room. Each cross had a crystalline figure nailed to it, and was connected through a series of chains, with the center cross connecting to something in the back of the room.

Uryu stared in wonder and amazement as he shifted through the frosty graveyard, searching for any sign that his son was here. However, something else caught his attention...

On each of the figures, the Stern Ritter symbol of the old days rested on their chests, both masculine and feminine.

"The old Stern Ritter? So Kurosaki was right... These must be their graves... So why were they buried here? Did the Soul Reapers...end their lives in this area?"

Uryu stepped past the cross, deciding to continue his search in the back of the room. His footsteps halted before he stepped past the center cross, as he suddenly became aware of three things in the span of a single second.

One...was that the figure on the center cross began glowing as the ice covering it began to melt...

Two...was that the person had light-brown, spiky hair and dark-brown eyes, which was narrowed in confusion as they stared down at Uryu.

And three...was that the inscription on the cross next to his eyes read:

_Gekkani Kurosaki_

"...Soken...? Is that you... Soken Ishida?"

* * *

Trivia:

-Kyūjūrokkei Kakafūmetsu is the technique that Kisuke uses to seal Aizen in Canon. In this fiction, Aizen's ancestor used it to seal Juhabach when Yamamoto defeated him 1000 years ago.

-"Tanegashima" is Japanese for "Matchlock Rifle". By tilting his blade and gripping the prong sticking out of the falchion like the grip on a rifle, Iba can fire Reiatsu/Kido bullets like a gun.

-"Niban no Jin: Sandanjuu" is Japanese for "Second Formation: Shotgun".

-Tosen blocking Iba's bullets is similar to the way Vergil blocks Dante's bullets in Devil May Cry 3.

-Gert Sprenger is the attack Uryu uses in the Fourth Movie (Hell Chapter).

-Momo's Zanpakuto was remade with a Hollowfied Asauchi (White) like Canon Ichigo's. While she isn't a Visored, her Bankai has Hollow powers, like Ginjo.

-"Yoen Tenkyu Tobiume" is Japanese for "Burning Embers of the Heaven-Seeking Flying Plum Tree". Before using the commmand, Snap, Momo's form is partially based on Mashiro's Hollowfied form with a slight basis of the Anime's version of Tobiume. When the command is released, the flames cover her legs like Tobiume's hakama. The title is partially based on the Christian story of the Burning Bush (which actually has no real relevance, I just used that reference to make a title).

-The Nine Valiants, which is the official group title of the Old Stern Ritter, is reference to the actual Nine Valiants (or Nine Worthies), which were the most chivalrous, legendary figures established in the Middle Ages.

-As a note for future reference, five of the Valiants are Canon characters, four of which are actual Quincy while one is not. The remaining four are all created characters that have certain relations to Canon characters.

-Gekkani is Japanese for "in the Moonlight".


	31. Rage, Monster, Rage

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

Aizen gasped slightly as Juhabach's blade pierced through his abdomen at the same time he jabbed him in the chest with Kyoka Suigetsu.

The Quincy King grinned in triumph as he held the Zanpakuto that ruined so many lives in his iron grasp, pulling Aizen closer.

"Yes... I can see you clearly, Sosuke Aizen... Your illusions are nothing to me now..."

The traitor gritted his teeth before kicking the man away from him and raising his finger, quickly mouthing off a series of incantations.

"Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel... Pyramid of light, wing of a beaked sparrow..."

As soon as the Quincy heard the incantation, he took off in a rapid dash, blade raised high, towards Aizen.

"I won't let you finish thi-!"

Before he could land a blow, a wave of green light poured over him, knocking him off his path and sending him reeling into an abandoned building. He raised his blade up as Ginjo brought his large sword down on him, completely shattering the building behind with sheer force.

"You should have waited on the sidelines, Kugo Ginjo... You weren't meant to interfere until I was finished with Aizen."

The Fullbringer smirked before saying, "I wasn't just gonna sit idly while you tore up all of my joints. You know how much these buildings cost?"

"Don't test me, ruffian!"

With a swing of his sword, Ginjo was sent flying back. When he moved to follow after him, Aizen's voice resonated behind him, causing him to freeze in panic.

"...With light, divide this into six... With force, break this into three... Bakudo Number Sixty-One, Rikujokoro... Bakudo Number Thirty, Shitotsu Sansen!"

Juhabach's face embraced surprise as six rods of light pierced his sides, along with being pinned to the building by three rods of light. He growled down at his bounds and glared at Aizen, grounding out, "This won't hold me for long..."

"Bakudo Number Sixty-Three, Sajo Sabaku."

A series of chains broke through the building and entangle the man in its grasp, pulling him tighter to it. For the finishing attack, Aizen raised his sword up and pointed it directly at Juhabach.

"_Limit of the thousand hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness... Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky... The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders..."_

The Soul Reaper closed his eyes while he spoke the incantation, which caused a flock of bright energy bullets to appear around him. The sky began to darken, emitting a foreboding feeling of dread in the sealed Quincy as he struggled to free himself.

"_Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, gray fortress tower... Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired..._"

Snapping his eyes open in finalist manner, Aizen finished with authority, "_Hado Number Ninety-One! Senju Koten Taiho!_"

* * *

"What...? How do you...?"

Uryu stared in disbelief as the man suddenly dropped down in front of him, stark naked as the day he was born. He stood up, his face locked in an annoyed scowled that reminded him of the old Kurosaki before he became the lazy Captain of today. He also noticed that the spiky hair was actually longer than it appeared, weaving down his naked, pale back.

"...You aren't Soken... Your hair is too dark... What are you doing here, Quincy?"

Uryu's eyebrows widened in disbelief before the man elaborated, "Your clothing...its that of the Seularihhi..."

The phrase left the Ishida Patriarch confused, as he never heard the term before. Obviously, Kurosaki's ancestor picked on up it, as he elaborated, "The _'Soul Empire'_ of the Quincy, led by that _man_... They might have changed it to the Vandenreich now..."

"That man? You mean Juhabach?"

Gekkani nodded before looking around the frozen room to the other crosses. While he searched the room, Uryu watched his every movement.

_'Is he...an ally? The way he spoke of Juhabach...suggests that he doesn't consider him his leader anymore...'_

The man turned back to Uryu and stated,"...You aren't with Juhabach. That fact you did not refer to him as his Majesty proves that... So who are you, Quincy?"

"...Uryu... Uryu Ishida."

Upon hearing his family name, the man's expression shifted to surprise as he chuckled, "Ah... I guess Soken did live after all... I'm glad our sacrifice wasn't in vain... Are you his son?"

"No. His grandson... He did around forty years ago..."

Gekkani raised an eyebrow and moved to ask something, but Uryu cut him and answered, "It's the year two-thousand and thirty-three."

Upon receiving the answer, the confused man let out the breath he was holding before looking away sadly.

"...So...everything must have changed...if we've faded so far into history that your generation of Quincies don't remember the Seularihhi."

Uryu watched as the man placed his palm on his head while sighing. He then questioned, "Then who are you? The only thing I know...is that you and these people were the Quincies that attempted to overthrow the Soul Society after the massacre..."

Gekkani's hand ran up his forehead and into his hair, casting a dark gaze across his face. He narrowed his eyes before stating, "You have it wrong, my boy... We didn't attempt to overthrow Soul Society...they were trying to _kill_ us..."

Uryu nodded and said, "I understand...the massacre an-"

"No. To hell with the massacre. The Soul Reapers had actually chased us Stern Ritters down...because the higher-ups of the Seularihhi gave them the task."

The younger Quincy was confused as he stuttered, "Wh-What? What do you mean?"

"...I meant my own people sold us out to the Soul Society... It wasn't our fault... It wasn't..."

The man began mumbling to himself, constantly repeating, "It wasn't our fault..." Uryu sat in silence before turning to look elsewhere in the room.

"...Why...why did they abandon you?"

The man's mumbles turned into insane giggle fits as he muttered, "...'Cause they fear what they don't understand... We were loyal, of course...but I guess that doesn't matter when everyone thinks you're a monster... It's the greatest treason...to obtain the powers of a Hollow when we are meant to destroy them..."

* * *

"_Hado Number Twelve, Fushibi!_"

Orihime and Tatsuki both found themselves entangle in a burning net, causing severe damage to their arms and clothing.

"Gaaaggghhhh! It burns! Tatsuki, what do we do!?"

While her sister was panicking, Tatsuki closed her eyes tightly to focus on the Reishi in the air, using it to form arrows above her head. The arrows dropped and tore through the net, free her from her prison.

When she landed on the ground, she balled her fist up tightly, allowing Reishi to gather in them before thrusting at the maddened Soul Reaper in front of her and screaming, "_Tödlich Magnum_!"

Like an Arrancar's Bala, the blast of energy was sent soaring towards Momo, who dropped her Kido to block the attack. After waving it out of her face, she formed a fireball to match Tatsuki's next attack and shot it with extreme force, allowing the two attacks to collide and explode.

Momo stood in silence and waited until Tatsuki came out of the smoke with her foot held high, allowing her Reishi to gather at the tip of her heel.

"_**Fallrückzieher**_!"

The Soul Reaper flashed stepped out-of-the-way and appeared next to Orihime, who was still recovering from the burning net. The auburn-haired teenager jumped back in surprise as the woman move to slash at her, causing her to draw her own sword and clash with her, which leveled the ground beneath them.

The two girls struggled to overwhelm the other one. Orihime gritted her teeth and grounded out, "What is it...that you want with me? Is this about...Ichigo...?"

"Don't speak. Just _die_."

With that, the woman kicked Orihime in the stomach and prepared to follow-up before she sensed Tatsuki behind her.

"Bakudo Number Eighty-One, _Danku_!"

The twin's glowing fist halted at the large barrier between her and Momo. After that, Momo raised her blade up, causing a series of glowing fireballs to appear next to her.

"_Ume Eisho... Hado Number Ninety-One... __**Senju Koten Taiho**_!"

The orbs flew towards Tatsuki with blinding speed, to the point where she knew she wouldn't be able to dodge it.

Orihime watched in horror as the area combusted into flames, and she watched Tatsuki fall from the air into the ground. Momo watched with indifference and stated, "Your Blut saved you from dying... Now _begone_."

She then turned back to Orihime and sighed before simply standing there. The other woman waited with anxiousness, wondering when she would perform her next move. Instead, the girl looked towards the sky, much to Orihime's confusion.

Momo shook her head and announced, "I didn't want him to see me like this...but it's inevitable... I'm done playing around with you... I'll see what happens when you're dead!"

She suddenly struck towards Orihime's head, which the girl quickly jumped to her feet and used the enemy's blade as leverage to jump higher. She twisted above the woman's head as Momo turned back with Tobiume and swung, rebounding off of Orihime's blade and sending the girl into the air.

"Licht Regen!"

Forming her blade back into her Fullbring bow, she shoot out a hail of arrows towards Momo's position, causing her to roll to her side to dodge. When Orihime landed, she shifted the bow back into a sword and charged towards Momo with her blade arched back.

_"Now, the Getsuga Tensho i-"_

_ Ichigo sighed in annoyance before announcing, "I know Getsuga Tensho, Old Man... Zangetsu taught me a bunch of stuff about it, and I understand it better than before... He's also teaching me all the stances and forms so I co-."_

_ Isshin frowned and punched his son in the face, sending him to the ground. The Captain angrily stood to his feet and grabbed his father by his neck and yelled, "What the hell was that for!?"_

_ "Don't interrupt me while I'm teaching, son! You don't know this stuff better than Daddy!"_

_ Ichigo growled and kicked his father in the stomach, sending him flying past Orihime and Karin, who were watching them train._

_ Orihime placed her hands on her cheeks as she watched the two argue and fight for the hundredth time._

_ "...So...that Getsuga Tensho...that's like, his special technique, right?"_

_ Karin raised an eyebrow before nodding and saying, "Basically... It's not real special though, considering Dad and I both naturally use it, Ginjo basically copied it...and like, anyone who has the intelligence to simply release energy from their sword..."_

_ "...But not everyone can do that, can they?"_

_ Karin narrowed her eyes in annoyance before repeating, "...__**And like**__, anyone who has the intelligence to simply release energy from their sword."_

Instead of clashing with Momo again, she stopped and gathered Reishi into her blade before swinging and releasing a small, blue wave of energy towards Momo, causing the girl to halt in her steps as the blast broke Tobiume and cut deeply into her shoulder.

If she wasn't in so much pain, she would have laughed at the irony of being struck down by such an attack. She felt the blood drench through her clothing as her Bankai collapsed, rendering her once again in her school clothing.

She fell to her knees, her gaze still locked on Orihime's as the girl continued to charge towards her, preparing to finish her off for harming her sister.

_...I guess...this is it..._

However, both Momo and Orihime was rendered speechless as a hand lunged out and grabbed the teenager before she could strike her down. Momo collapsed into a crumpled heap on the ground and stared up into the eyes of Ichigo Kurosaki as he gazed down at her blankly.

"Ich-Ichigo!? What are you doing!?"

He ignored Orihime's voice as he pushed her arm back and crouched down to Momo's level, still keeping eye contact with her.

"...Orihime, you're done here. Go back to your original task."

Orihime's mouth dropped in disbelief before she screamed out, "Ichigo, you can't be serious! She's one of Aizen's and she tried to kill my sister!"

"...I said you're done here. Leave me alone with Momo."

When Ichigo spoke her name, Orihime's anger slightly disappeared before she asked, "You...you know her...?"

"...She's my Lieutenant... I'm sorry, but I can't let you kill her."

Blood spilled from Momo's lips as she attempted to giggle, though it only left pain in her body.

"...Even now...you still call...me your...Lieutenant...? After...after...?"

Ichigo said nothing as he simply picked her up and held her before turning back to Orihime. Behind her, Tatsuki had awakened and stumbled towards Orihime's place before blinking at the group and moaning, "...I think this scene is backwards..."

"...Orihime, Tatsuki...can I trust you both to take Momo to Urahara's store? I need to take care of something."

* * *

"...Wait... You're all Fullbringers?"

The man smiled wryly before commenting, "Is that what they call us now? If you mean a Quincy with the powers of a Hollow, then yes... They were afraid, so they called upon the Soul Reapers... Some of us died in this burning hell of a hospital, thanks to the _old fucker_ in the Soul Society...while the rest escaped..."

Gekkani chuckled before moving towards the back of the room, with Uryu following after him.

"...I don't know how we were revived... But I'm guessing it has something to do with whoever sealed us here..."

Uryu frowned, briefly wondering if Aizen wanted to use these Stern Ritter to replace his Espada. When he arrived at the back of the room, he stood in shock as he gazed upon a large cross, which had an actual body on it.

"...S-Sora!?"

His own son was nailed to a cross with a chain wrapped around his neck. He was just as naked as the man next to him.

"Hold on, Sora! I'm going to get you do-"

Before he could make a move, the chains and nails on Sora's body snapped in a green light, causing him to fall towards the ground. Uryu quickly dove forward and caught him before he could crash.

After rolling to his feet, Uryu smacked his son's face a couple of times to wake him, but received no answer. When his son continued to stay unconscious, he turned to the man and yelled, "Oi, Kurosaki! Help me wit-"

He paused as he realized the man was not facing him anymore, but instead, was looking towards the other crosses. When Uryu heard the sloshing of water, he realized that all the ice crosses were melting.

"...That boy...was the seal to us all... Thank you, Uryu Ishida, for allowing me to use your power to free my comrades..."

_'A seal? I thought Aizen wanted to use his power!? How dangerous are these people...for even Aizen to want to seal them away!?'_

Eventually, all the crosses came tumbling down, releasing cold fog through the room as the ice fragments shattered and melted. Uryu heard the plopping of several bodies landing on the floor. A deep, masculine voice resonated through the fog.

"Wait... How am I...?"

"Holy shit, it's freezing! Goddamnit, I hate the Seularihhi's air conditioning!"

Uryu watched as eight bodies stumbled across the floor towards his and Gekkani's place, each trembling under the heavy, cold air of the room.

The first to walk out was a tall, muscular figure. He had a blond buzzcut with a large scar on his forehead.

The second was a man with dark, wavy hair that stopped at the bottom of his neck. He seemed extremely familiar to Uryu, reminding him of someone he's seen recently.

"Oi, Kurosaki...? Whatchu' doin' here? I thought we told you to run!"

Gekkani smirked the typical Kurosaki smirk and jested, "And when have I ever ran from a battle?"

"...Tch, stupid men... Always trying to prove your manhood..."

The third, feminine figure was a dark-skinned female with brown braids that stopped on her back. A twirled, braided bun rested on the top of her skull.

"Settle down...we all just woke up, and the first thing you all do is start an argument?"

The fourth, elderly figure was a man with short, gray hair and a thin mustache. He wore an eye-patch on his left eye.

Behind him was the fifth person, whom was a large, tanned man with curly brown hair and stubble, agreed as he stepped forward.

"These insolent fools would never understand the meaning of quiet. Don't waste your breath, old man."

The owner of the arrogant voice was the sixth person. He had short, dark hair that curled around his face. His face scrunched up in annoyance when a loud, feminine voice spoke from behind him.

"_Someone_ needs to get that stick out of their ass... I think you need to get laid."

The dark-haired male turned around towards the seventh person, which was a woman with lengthy, dark hair that splayed wildly across her face. She appeared to have a slight blush.

"From whom? You? Disgusting Gemischt wench. Speak no more to me."

The last of the cursed Quincy was the one to shock Uryu the most. His face was very similar to his own...his hairstyle was very similar to his own, except wilder...the glasses... The only thing different about this man was his hair color, which was brown.

"...Uryu...?"

Gekkani looked towards the man and turned back to Uryu and said, "So you still remember your grandson, Soken? That's weird, considering you look so young."

Soken Ishida stared blankly as his shocked grandson, confusion written on both of their faces. Almost as if he were talking to someone else, the man began screaming, "How...!? How am I...? Why... Why is he speaking to me again!?"

The dark-skinned woman jumped away from Soken as he started screaming and stared at him apprehensively.

"What's the matter with you? You hearing voices or something?"

The dark-haired man next to Gekkani commented, "He was an old man when he died... I think he's still senile."

"I got rid of you! Why are you speaking to me again!?

Soken madly gripped his head as he fell to his knees, which caused the elder man next to him to grab him.

"...Is it your Hollow? Is he speaking to you?"

Suddenly, the man roared again, "I got rid of you! Why did they bring him back!?"

Gekkani stared down at Soken with a shocked expression as he wondered aloud, "You...discarded your Hollow? How on earth did you do that?"

Soken's fits of anger suddenly stopped as he calmed himself. After a moment of silence, he finally answered, "...I used Letzt Stil... I've been using a Quincy Bangle until my death..."

The woman frowned before she deadpanned, "...We could have used Letzt Stil this whole time? I feel like a dumbass..."

"...Soken, that's enough."

All eyes in the room turned to Gekkani as he stormed to Soken and grabbed him by his throat, lifting him off of the ground.

"...Really? You think this is a curse, Soken? This is a blessing... Fate was cruel enough to take away our only home...but gave us the power to change the world at the same time... This, Soken, is the power of justice... Anyone who disagrees is dead to us, remember?"

When Gekkani spoke, Uryu was immediately reminded of the Ichigo he once knew, and discovered that this man was too dangerous to roam free.

Before he could make a move, the dark-haired woman leaned on his shoulder, pressing her naked breasts into his side.

"Hey, do you have clothes that we can put on? I think Argola's perving on me."

Considering the way she acted earlier, Uryu knew that she wasn't really concerned about her appearance. Which meant that she knew he was preparing to attack.

_'This woman...is really perceptive...'_

Argola, the large man with the scar on his forehead, began protesting before the dark-haired man next to him grabbed his mouth and held it tightly.

"...So, Uryu Ishida, was it?"

Uryu pulled his son closer to him as all eyes turned on him. After shoving away the woman, he created his Spirit Weapon with his right hand and aimed it towards Gekkani.

"...So you're no better than them, Uryu Ishida... Is it because of the Hollows inside of us?"

The Ishida patriarch frowned and shook his head, "No... You sound...like a friend of mine..."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Uryu's jaws tightened up in preparation and he finished, "Yes... Someone who followed the wrong path to protect what's close to him... I had to try to stop him...which is exactly what I'm going to do to you."

Before Uryu could fire a shot, an arrow embedded itself into his arm, causing him to fall to his knees and drop Sora. He stared past Gekkani into the eyes of his own grandfather, who held the offending bow.

Gekkani gave Soken a thumbs up before appearing in front of Uryu in a flash of light and picking him up with a single hand.

"You shouldn't have tried that... Now I'll have t-"

He, along with every other Stern Ritter, stopped as they felt the pressure being released from that distance and knew. The older man turned towards the door in shock and commented, "...Juhabach's been awakened?"

Gekkani's eyes hardened as he looked over to his fellow warriors and stated, "It seems you're right, Zeidritz...New objective... We're targeting Juhaba-"

"Ohmigosh, clothes!"

Gekkani frowned in agitation as the dark-haired woman held her arms out, allowing black and white Reishi to gather around her body, forging dark, tattered clothing around her body like a ragged cloak with a white undershirt. Gekkani turned to her and yelled, "Uruko, you dunce! We don't have time for this!"

The woman, known as Uruko, pouted and moaned, "...But...but...clothes..."

"Idiot, be quiet."

Uruko turned towards the arrogant fellow and yelled, "Hubert! Shut the hell up and stop bitching!"

The old man grabbed the bridge of his nose and sighed as the two began arguing again. Before Uruko could hit Hubert, a tan hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder, causing her to turn in shock towards the man who had been silent the entire time.

"Sorry, Joaquin... I'll stop...but only because you asked so nicely, unlike that bastard over there!"

Hubert's eye began twitching. Before he could strike, Argola reached out and grabbed him, pulling him back. After a calming down, he suddenly elbowed Argola in the face and jumped away from him, furiously swiping at his body with a disgusted expression. Soon, he had covered his body in a dark cloak as well.

"Do not touch me in such an intimate manner! Not while you are naked!"

The dark-haired man next to Gekkani began laughing heartily, pointing at the two before falling on his back and kicking his legs out. Argola, recovering from the powerful blow, angrily looked over to the man before yelling, "Stop laughing, Yago! This isn't funny!"

"Focus, you goof-heads! This is serious!"

Soken looked over at the annoyed, dark-skinned woman before commenting, "I agree with Misao... If Juhabach's here, then we should rid ourselves of him while we still have the chance."

Gekkani nodded in agreement and addressed, "...Yes... Today, we rid ourselves of the bastard traitor who ruined us..."

He too held his arms out, forging the same dark cloak at the same time as everyone else in the room. Uryu was able to see that the old Stern Ritter symbol appeared on their backs.

"Now let's go, my fellow Valiants... We walk to the end of ruin with our heads held high... Let's go.

And upon his command, all the old Stern Ritter sauntered out of the room, their cloaks flowing behind them as the remaining ice in the room broke down. Uryu stared weakly at them as he nearly passed out...but not before realizing that his grandfather stood above him.

"...Please wait here, Uryu... We're going to end him, and then I'll come back for you... And together, we...will destroy the Soul Reapers who abandoned us..."

* * *

Trivia:

-Aizen used a double Incantation for both of the Bakudo. Rikujokoro's is accurate while I made up one for Shitotsu Sansen.

-"Seularihhi" is Old High German for "Soul Empire".

-"Tödlich Magnum" is German for "Deadly Magnum", and is named after Tatsuki's Karakura Raizer Technique.

-"Ume Eisho" is Japanese for "Plum Tree Incantation". Momo uses her Zanpakuto and its fire abilities to use certain Kido without actually have to use its incantation.

-Basically, the Nine Valiants were nine Stern Ritter who were cursed by Hollow power (like the Visored) and banished from the Vandenreich after the massacre. They were hunted down by the Soul Society and some of them were killed in the the burned-down hospital (courtesy of Yamamoto, aka the 'old fucker'). The others escaped and started families (like Soken) before being killed and their bodies were revived and sealed away by Aizen for an unknown purpose.

-Gekkani's design is similar to Ichigo's Hollow form after the mask was broken. His eyes are still normal, however. He was killed in the battle with Yamamoto, though his children lived on until Masaki was the only one left (As Canon states that she is the last true Kurosaki prior to meeting Isshin.)

-Yago's(The dark-haired man with the wavy hair) design is based on someone familiar, as Uryu points out. His relative will revealed soon. He was killed in the battle with Yamamoto.

-Uruko(The goofy woman with the dark, wild hair) is also related to someone in Canon. She survived the hospital battle.

-Misao(The dark-skinned woman with the braids) is related to someone in Canon. She survived the hospital battle.

-Soken's brown hair was based on the Anime's version of young Ryuken (which had brown hair, before the Manga confirmed he was born with white hair).

-Joaquin(The silent tanned one) is also related to someone...and he's Canon...and its kinda obvious... He also survived the hospital battle, and also survived the longest.

-Zeidritz(The old man with the eye-patch), Hubert(the Quincy version of Byakuya) and Argola(large man with the scar on his forehead) are three canon characters. These three were the Vandenreich that Juhabach(Royd) saw when Yamamoto used the Zanka no Tachi, South in Chapter 509. They were killed in the hospital battle.

-Their outfits are the exact same thing as Zangetsu(Juhabach)'s dark cloak, dress pants and shoes, and white undershirt.


	32. Null Sein

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"Nice try, Sosuke Aizen. If I didn't use my Blut, that attack would have severely wounded me."

Aizen was unsurprised as Juhabach dusted his tattered clothing and emerged completely from the building. He sat and waited until the Quincy made his next move.

"You must surely have more tricks up your sleeve... I know that you've used _that_ Kido... The question is...how are you going to weaken me to do so?"

The man blinked in boredom as he stared at Juhabach. He smirked to himself and sighed, causing the other to frown as he glared at the smug look on Aizen's face.

"...You think you can win, Aizen? How will you defeat me?"

Aizen tilted his head and asked, "The real question is 'when are you going to realize'?"

The question actually caused the Quincy to stumble slightly as he narrowed his eyes and demanded, "What do you mean?"

"...Considering he's been there for a while, I wondered how long it would take for you to realize. Even now, you still haven't a clue..."

Juhabach's eyes immediately snapped to Ginjo's, though the confused expression on his face revealed that he didn't know either. To ease their confusion, Aizen elaborated, "Your sword should have easily ended my life... You should have broken out of my Kido... You think that I've gotten stronger...but it's actually you who've gotten weaker... Your Reishi gathering has become weaker..."

The man frowned as Aizen spoke.

_'Of course... The Human World has little Reishi to gather compared to the Soul Society or Hueco Mundo...'_

"...You are correct in your thoughts about the Human World, but not entirely... It's hard for you to gather Reishi because there is close to none."

_"...It ends here, Sora Ishida. I don't have the time to play with you."_

_ Before his blade could land a hit, he felt his blade's Reishi and his own Reishi bow breakdown into particles, leaving him stunned as his Spirit Weapon and Seele Schneider disappeared._

___ '...What...? How'd he...absorb my Reishi...?'_

Juhabach's eyes widened considerably as Aizen stared back at him. Ginjo looked down as he feet and snapped his fingers in realization.

_'I thought something was off... My Bringer Light isn't working as well as it should... But what is absorbing all of the-?'_

His thoughts were abruptly cut off as a barking sound rung through his ears, and he turned around to discover the source.

_In the soft, leather recliner, Ginjo sat with his fist on his cheek and his legs crossed. In his right hand, a shot glass filled with liquor and ice was being shaken around mindlessly. His Cross of Scaffold rested against the arms of the seat._

_ Sosuke Aizen stood behind Ginjo with his own glass in his hand. The Fullbringer could hear the barking of a dog running through his home._

Below him, a white dog with an Arrancar mask sat on its hind legs, its mouth opened in a silent scream. Upon further studying, small blue particles were flowing into its mouth like a vacuum. At that same moment, Juhabach too had noticed Kukkaporo.

_Sora turned on his heels as the voices spoke behind him. His face turned stony and blank as he gazed upon the form of Aizen stepping from the shadows, Kukkaporo held to his chest._

_ "What's with the dog?"_

_ Aizen smirked and commented, "He's fluffy, and I like him... Is there a problem?"_

"Kukkaporo here is an interesting Arrancar... You see, when he came to Hueco Mundo, he survived by breathing in the Reishi in the area... While it's unnoticeable in Hueco Mundo, the loss of Reishi is more notable in the Human World where there are only a few pockets of it... While Karakura town has more Reishi than the average town, Naruki City does not."

_"...Momo, go and fetch Kukkapuro."_

_ Momo blinked at the order, and Gin looked over to Aizen as he commented, "You can't be serious... The dog, Captain Aizen? The hell do you want the dog for?"_

_ "...I'm very serious."_

_ Momo blinked again, and shook her head as she turned towards a small entrance in the room. She bent down at the entrance and cooed, "Come 'ere boy! Who's a good boy? Come on, lil' Puro...!"_

_ With a small, hesitant whine, the dog slowly crept out and jumped into Momo's arms._

_ "...Why do you want the dog, Captain Aizen?"_

_ The man turned towards Gin and drawled out, "Because he is very cute and fluffy. Now, come Momo. A new horizon awaits us all."_

"From the very beginning, I had planned for you to come here... When I saved Ichigo Kurosaki from having his Bankai stolen, I knew that you would immediately launch the invasion of Soul Society to steal his Fullbring. I knew that you would use that to try and combat my Kyoka Suigetsu and find Ginjo... You've fallen into my trap, Juhabach..._ Farewell_..."

Juhabach's expression shifted into one of horror. Hardening his gaze, he took off into a mad dash towards the dog in order to finish it off, but found himself sealed away before he had a chance to realize what was happening.

* * *

_...Quiet, she's waking up...!_

_**...Pain... All she could feel was pain tearing through her joints...**_

_...Oi, give her space! You're all over her body!_

_**...Who...are all these voices?**_

_Hey! You alright?_

When Momo Hinamori finally came to, she noticed a pair of bright, turquoise eyes staring deep into her own, worry embedding itself deep into Toshiro Hitsugaya's orbs.

"...Lil...Shiro?"

The boy above her narrowed his eyes and groaned, "That's Captain Hitsugaya to you, Bed Wetter."

She began smiling unconsciously as she struggled to life herself up, though another pair of hands pushed her down. To her right, a dark-haired woman with dark-purple eyes blinked in a slightly depressed manner.

"Orihime cut deep into your body, nearly ridding you of your powers... It would be best for you to sit back and wait until Ichigo returns..."

She found it hard to argue when she felt a little too comfortable in her spot. Looking around the room, she noticed a group of other people. Two of them she knew as Captains Komamura and Zaraki of the Gotei Thirteen. However, the female Soul Reaper standing next to the woman holding the child was unfamiliar to her.

As she pondered to herself their identities, she suddenly snapped back to Toshiro and the other Captains and blinked, causing the child-like Captain to raise his eyebrow.

"...Why are you all here? Shouldn't you all be with Gin?"

That comment caused the Captains to turn their attentions to Momo. Toshiro frowned and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean... Aizen's plan was for you all to fight Gin while he dealt with Juhabach...! You aren't supposed to be here!"

Toshiro blinked and deadpanned, "Then Aizen's plan failed because we actually infiltrated his hideaway... Got attacked by some Arrancar with a cloning ability and his mentally-ill sidekick.. Didn't find anything important, so we let it be after Zaraki left them there to die."

Momo's eyes narrowed as she thought back to the plan.

_'If Gin abandoned his post, something must have been amiss... But what cou-?'_

Momo's thoughts came to an abrupt halt as her eyes widened and she attempted to reach out and pull herself to the door. Toshiro grabbed her by her shoulder and pulled her back, yelling, "What's the matter with you, Momo!?"

"Captain Aizen! He's in trouble! You... You have to go to the destroyed hospital now!"

From the corner of the room, Karin Kurosaki frowned and commented, "It seems Zaraki was right... She's still loyal to him... Guess we gott-"

"No! You don't understand! Aizen isn't the problem here! Those Stern Ritter...! If they escape...!"

* * *

When Uryu stumbled to the outside of the hospital with his son thrown over his shoulder, the utter destruction of the area was expected. He knew that Isshin and Gin would have torn the place amok with their Zanpakuto...

What he didn't expect to see was both of them fatally wounded and thrown over the rubble and ruined debris like rag-dolls.

He panted heavily and dropped to his knees, allowing Sora to fall from his shoulders with a slight thump as he hit the ground.

"...What...is going on...?"

* * *

Ichigo paused as he felt the rapid descent of a nearby signature, wondering if Aizen or Juhabach finished the other off.

"...The other should be weakened, then... I guess that'll make this easier for me."

He then took off at high-speed towards the fading Reiatsu.

* * *

Tosen tossed away Iba before halting in his steps, appearing to have sensed something nearby. Shuhei, who was preparing to strike at him, stopped as well when the powerful Reiatsu disappeared.

"...Did they...?

Shuhei and Iba were confused when Tosen disappeared in a panic, leaving his opponents behind as he raced towards Aizen.

"What the hell? Captain Iba, let's go! After him!"

* * *

"What? Momo, what the hell are you talking about? What Stern Ritter?"

Momo, breathing heavily, grabbed Toshiro's arm and yelled, "We have to go save Captain Aizen! He'll die!"

Karin raised an eyebrow in amusement and suggested, "Isn't that a good thing?"

"No! There's no way Ichigo can handle any of them without Aizen!"

Upon hearing their brother's name, both Yuzu and Karin turned their attention to Momo and recoiled back in confusion.

"What planet are you from? I don't remember Aizen helping my brother...ever!"

Momo frowned and pawed at the ground, still attempting to escape Toshiro's grasp. When she finally realized she wouldn't be able to move, she settled down in her makeshift bed and turned to address the room.

"...Aizen...was obsessed with Ichigo... From the very beginning, when Ichigo was still a normal human... Aizen had planned his life out..."

Karin crossed her arms in annoyance and said, "We know that. That-"

"From the very beginning, Aizen had been working on a weapon to get rid of Juhabach, and that was Ichigo."

The silence in the room was slightly unnerving to former traitor as everyone's eyes was definitely on her now. Zaraki's gruff voice resonated from the corner of room and commented, "...Lemme get this straight... You're saying that Aizen's been helping Ichigo?"

"...Ichigo had always been his 'Plan B' in case he ever failed to kill Juhabach... Unlike Aizen's ancestors from before, whom were responsible for keeping Juhabach's seal in check, he had planned to kill the Quincy King for good. His 'Plan A' involved stealing the powers of the nine Hollowfied Quincy..."

Komamura, from the side of the room, finally interjected with, "Well it seems he has succeeded... I think Juhabach's signature is gone..."

Momo, however, knew that wasn't true as she lamented, "No... Aizen sealed him away for now... But those Quincy...he never got to steal their powers... He used the boy, Sora, to harvest their powers and keep them under check while he searched for a way to get them from Sora."

"Then...these Quincy...they are still alive?"

Momo nodded and stated, "Yes. And they've been unsealed... They will absorb Juhabach and his powers and...most likely kill Aizen..."

* * *

Aizen stared unblinkingly towards the nine cloaked figures standing above him. Behind him, the star-like seal held the body of Juhabach.

Next to him, Kugo Ginjo stared in shock and in horror at one the Quincy standing above him, he appeared very similar to him. Yago raised an eyebrow and commented, "Whoa! I can't believe you're still alive, Kugo! It's been, what, a century now? You must have been absorbing the powers of the Soul Reapers, huh...?"

"...What the hell...? How the fuck are you...!?"

Yago Ginjo shrugged pointed at Aizen, commenting, "Hey, he kept us alive somehow. You better ask him."

Ginjo looked over at Aizen, who appeared to be focusing on something in the distance. His attention was drawn to the Kurosaki-lookalike as he frowned.

"He looks kinda like you, too. I'll allow you time with you brother, Yago. Aizen, step aside."

The usually smug man was uncharacteristically serious as he retorted, "No. I can't allow you to absorb Juhabach... His powers will end entirely, not pass through another host."

Gekkani smirked in response before raising his hand, revealing his black Quincy cross shaped like a swastika, similar to the guard of a certain descendant.

"I thought you would say that..."

The cross glowed with a dark light. Grabbing the light with his right hand, he made of motion of separating it into two. The light faded away, revealing two blades. The right blade was dark and large, consisting of a tinged, ashy appearance. The second blade resembled a trench knife with an enclosed handle.

"Now, now, Aizen... It's time that you stopped this nonsense... You failed... You thought you could use our power to destroy the Quincy Emperor, and get rid of us at the same time... Your little sacrifice of the Soul Society's trust wasn't worth the effort."

Before Gekkani could react, Aizen had appeared in front of him and slashed at his collar bone. The Valiant fell back in shock before shaking it off and growling, "Valiants..._get him_."

* * *

"Mah, Ginjo? What's with that face? Ain't cha happy ta see me?"

Ginjo scowled as he stared at his older brother. Yago's arms were held openly, as if awaiting a hug.

"...Are you still plotting that same stupid shit?"

Yago frowned and repeated, "What stupid shit? Ginjo, what's the matter wit-?"

"Destroying Soul Society... Is that still your goal?"

The elder brother's eyes narrowed as he glared at his younger brother in a confused manner. After a moment of questioning himself, Yago asked, "So are you working for Soul Society now? The same bastards who tried to kill us both!? What the fuck, Ginjo!?"

"I didn't say I was working with Soul Society! But... But I've stopped opposing them! There's no point! The balance of the world depends on them, and if you destroy that balance, we're all fucked!"

Yago eyes shifted to cold, heartless ones as he growled, "So I sacrificed my life for you...and you become their allies!? That's fine... I had wanted to add you to our Stern Ritter, but I see you will die like the rest of them."

"...Like those Soul Reapers? Fuck that...and fuck you, too. I can't let you destroy the world, idiot."

Ginjo and Yago both reached to their necks, ripping off their crosses at the same time and summoning the same, large sword. The only difference was that Yago's appeared blue and white as opposed to Ginjo's black.

The elder Ginjo chuckled mirthlessly when he saw Ginjo release his Fullbring and announced, "I couldn't care less about the fate of the world... As long as the Soul Reapers aren't on top, who cares if we all die in the end...? Quincy don't save...we destroy... Some people...just want to watch the world burn."

* * *

Aizen's wrists worked at full speed to block the incoming attacks from the different Stern Ritter. As he moved away to take a small break, Uruko descended from the sky with her foot raised high.

Eyes widened at the sudden movement, Aizen flashed to the side to dodge it. He quickly yelled, out, "Bakudo Number Eighty-One! Danku!" to block the incoming Heilig Pfiel from behind him.

He turned to the man wearing the patrol hat of the Vandenreich and aimed his hand at him, calling out, "Hado Number Eighty-Eight! Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raiho!"

Hubert gritted his teeth as he took the blast head-on, sending him flying out of the sky with ease. Before Aizen could revel in his slight victory, Argola attempted to blindside him from his left, though he saw it and grabbed the man's hand in mid-strike...

...Which was a really bad idea, as the Reishi gathered in the arm caused the bones in his left arm to shatter as he was still pushed away by the large Quincy's extreme force. He flew through the air and came in contact with another building, and then another before finally being stopped by an extremely tall building.

As Aizen struggled to breathe, he noticed a small, bomb-like object flying towards him. With eyes narrowed in determination, he lifted himself higher as he began to climb to the very top as the bomb exploded, sending the top part of the building soaring across the city.

"That attack...that was quite a mouthful, wasn't it?"

He looked over his shoulder as Hubert, slightly torn and wounded, came charging at him with a cutlass made of Reishi. Aizen raised Kyoka Suigetsu and collided with the blade, creating shock waves that decimated the platform below them, leaving them suspended in the air.

"So I see...that you aren't using Zanpakuto like the last time we fought... That boy that was locked away... I presume he possesses the power to see through Kyoka Suigetsu's illusions?"

Aizen said nothing as he raised his foot and rammed it into Hubert's ribs, sending him flying into Uruko as she made a move to attack. After attempting to catch his breath, Aizen glanced around the ruined city while he waited for his next opposition. He froze up when he felt someone's breath tickle the back of his neck.

"It's over."

Before the man could strike him down, he heard a familiar cry of battle, signaling the entrance of _him_.

"_Getsuga Tensho!"_

Aizen's eyes widened as the one behind him took the full brunt of the attack, causing him to descend to the ground.

"...So, Aizen... It's been a while, huh?"

The brown-haired man slowly turned around, finding himself face-to-face with his former subordinate and replacement, Ichigo Kurosaki.

"...You should not be here, Ichigo Kurosaki. Tosen should have kept you busy."

Ichigo frowned and growled, "Well, he didn't! Now it's you and me, asshole! You're gonna pay for what you did to-!"

Before the younger Captain could finish, Aizen reached out and grabbed his shoulder, sending him away as he blocked the dual-strike from Gekkani. The man's eyes were widened, giving the man a slightly maniacal expression as he clashed with Aizen.

"Did...did you just say, 'Kurosaki'!?"

Aizen ignored him and turned back to Ichigo, ordering, "Get away from this place, Ichigo Kurosaki. You do not belong here."

Gekkani smirked and said, "No, stay a moment, _Ichigo Kurosaki_... I'll end this quickly..."

Ichigo had to do another take when he saw the man clashing blades with that traitor. He looked...oddly familiar... However, he shook his head and yelled, "You! Move it! Aizen's mine!"

The Valiant's eyebrows raised in confusion before Ichigo suddenly drop-kicked him away from Aizen. The traitor frowned before saying, "I don't need your help, Ichigo Kur-."

Even Aizen was surprised when Ichigo suddenly turned on him and swiped at him with his sword. After ducking under him, he kicked him in the stomach and yelled, "What the hell is your problem, Kurosaki...!?"

What shocked Ichigo was when both he and the man he attacked yelled out simultaneously, "You, goddamnit!"

His momentary shock was enough for Gekkani to land a blow on Ichigo's face, sending him flying through multiple buildings. Before he crashed into another one, Aizen reached down and caught his arm. Ichigo stared incredulously towards the traitor and screamed, "What are you doing helping me!? I'm trying to kill you!"

Aizen said nothing as he allowed Ichigo to stand on his feet and turned his back to him as he searched for Gekkani.

_'What the...? I'm...trying to kill him...and he simply turns his back to me...?'_

It was obvious that the man was more of a threat to Aizen than he was... Aizen wasn't even paying him any attention! Who the hell was that man...? And why did he answer to 'Kurosaki'? Ichigo knew that something was wrong here.

"Why are you frightened, Kurosaki? I thought I taught you to stand up for yourself."

Ichigo frowned and began yelling, "I'm not afraid! I was just wondering..."

"...Why did the man answer to Kurosaki? I don't have the time to explain that to you. Now go away and let me finish this."

That was the second time Aizen told him to leave. Why was he so keen to getting rid of him?

"Tch... Not a chance, traitor! You keep paying attention to this guy, so I'm going to help you kill him...and then take you down myself!"

Aizen scowled and mumbled, "...You insubordinate little... Listen to me... If you die here, this is the end of everything. Everything that I've worked too hard for will be for naught. I will not have my plans ruined by some heartbroken, inferiority-complex developing little-"

"Are you both done?"

Aizen and Ichigo looked above them as Gekkani stood there waiting. Both of them raised their swords to block him as he attempted to hit both of them at the same time. Suddenly, Zangetsu began pumping itself with spirit energy.

"_Issen_..."

Gekkani's eyes rolled over to Ichigo's as he finished, "_**Getsuga!**_"

A flash of blue light embedded a deep slash into Gekkani's shoulder, causing him to cry out.

"I'm not finished!"

Gekkani froze and looked up as the 'Ichigo' in front of him disappeared, causing him to look to the sky where the voice was coming from.

_'A clone...!?'_

"Chiretsu Hogeki!"

Zangetsu embedded itself into Gekkani's gut and Ichigo began pushing, stabbing it further into his stomach as they descended to the ground. Once the tip of his Zanpakuto made contact, a large explosion was released from the ground, creating a large blue pillar that erupted into the sky.

* * *

A good distance away from the explosion, Aizen hummed a noise of approval as Ichigo landed in front him.

"So that's what you were troubling yourself with? Your standards sure have fallen, jackass."

The man sighed before storming past Ichigo towards the aftermath of the explosion.

"He's not dead, genius. The Hollow inside of him is repairing him as we speak."

Ichigo turned back to him in shock and repeated, "The Hollow inside of him? Who the hell is this guy!?"

Aizen looked back over his shoulder and commented, "A dangerous terrorist to Soul Society...who has the potential to become even stronger than Juhabach..."

"...And this guy's your enemy? That would suggest that you actually care about Soul Society."

Even Ichigo had to admit that silence that followed that accusation was slightly awkward, as Aizen had turned back to the smoky ruins without an answer.

"...Boy, you are something else. If I hadn't used my Blut Stahl, I would have surely died..."

Ichigo's head snapped to the sound coming from within the smoke, shock written on his features.

"Blut what?"

Aizen elaborated, "Blood Steel. It's a defensive Blut skill exclusive to Pure Fullbringers that..."

Aizen began to slow down in his explanation when he noticed the blank facade of Ichigo. He sighed and answered Ichigo's unasked question with, "Quincy with Inner Hollows."

Ichigo made an _'O' _face before nodding and turning back to Gekkani. He frowned and asked, "So how do we kill him...?"

Ichigo had a feeling that Tosen was coming closer, as he could mentally hear the chirping of crickets when Aizen did not answer.

"Don't you dare tell me you don't know..."

_I dragged you into this...because my weakness has caused you and Momo pain... You must be torn apart inside, Ichigo... I'm sorry..._

Aizen again said nothing, and Ichigo's jaws dropped as he screamed, "I thought you had everything planned! Goddamnit!"

"...Stop worrying... I'm not going to let you die on my watch."

Ichigo stared incredulously at Aizen and roared, "How is that supposed to reassure me!?"

Gekkani was soon tiring of their bickering and connected his blades together, forming a large bow. While the two were arguing, he fired an arrow towards them, causing them to separate as it flew past them. Keeping his bow aimed at Ichigo, he drew another Heilig Pfiel in preparation, almost as if he was charging it.

"Null Sein!"

The next shot, however, was more of a large blast, speeding directly towards the panicking Ichigo. His eyes widened as it neared him.

_'Some kinda Cero!? Shit, it's too fast!'_

"Getsuga Tenshun!"

While he raised the Reiatsu shield as quick as he could, the blast easily shattered its defenses and went straight to him.

The last thing he saw was a flash of white covering his eyes...and then nothing.

_...Live well...age well...and die long after I do...and if you can, die smiling... Don't hesitate to act... Sadness is a cool thing to shoulder...but you're still too young... And whatever you do...try not to die alone...so you can entrust your heart to another._

* * *

Trivia:

-Kukkaporo, in the Bleach Wiki, was said to have survived by breathing in the Reishi of Hueco Mundo. Just as Wonderwiess was the key to defeating Yamamoto, I decided to make Kukkaporo the key to defeating Juhabach.

-To the review about Juhabach being weak: It's not that he is weaker. Aizen is not as lax as Hogyoku!Aizen because he isn't immortal, so he can't just tank hits. Therefore, the only reason he would actually fight Juhabach head on when he _knows_ he's stronger was if he had a back up plan (Kukkaporo). Not to mention that Juhabach was mostly an obstacle and not a major character.

-Yago Ginjo is the elder brother of Ginjo (and in this story, the same one Ginjo took the cross from to use Fullbring).

-Gekkani's weapons are based off of Ichigo's new Zangetsu.

-"Blut Stahl" is German for "Blood Steel" and is a powerful combo of Blut Vene and Hierro.

-"Null Sein" is German for "To be nothing/null/zero" and is basically the Hollowfied Quincy's Cero.

-To the review about the relations of the Valiants: I'll tell you that you're right about Chad. The other three are wrong, though. As Yago's has been revealed, Uruko's and Misao's are the last two.


	33. Entrusted Heart 2

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

...It was unbelievable...

Even though they spent much of that time arguing, it felt...somewhat decent...to be able to fight alongside his former Captain...without being manipulated nor controlled...

So when he watched Sosuke Aizen's form stumble forward after the Null Sein, weakened and torn from the Quincy's Cero-like attack, the only thing he could wonder...was why did it have to end like this...?

He wanted to kill him with his own power, damnit! He wanted ram Zangetsu through his spleen and pin him to wall! He wanted Aizen to beg for forgiveness, to come up with as many excuses as possible to justify his betrayal...

...And he wanted to reject them all before he ended his life... But of all things, and it hurt him badly to say it...he just wanted an apology of some sort, for mind-fucking everyone...that looked up to him.

But the moment the tattered form collapsed to his knees and fell over, he knew that the explanation he long sought would never be given...ever...

"It's just you and me, Ichigo Kurosaki... It's time we talked..."

_"...You should stop worrying about me. You've got more important things to worry about."_

_Ichigo narrowed his eyes and asked, "What do you mean...?"_

_The former Captain paced around Ichigo, staring out into space as he answered, "...There are new variables in this game of cat and mouse, Kurosaki. That variable is keen on getting what it wants...which is you."_

_The current Captain watched him pace around, asking, "And why does he want me?"_

_Aizen turned as he slyly watched Ichigo and stated, "...You'll find out soon enough... Try to stay alive so I don't have to watch over you all the time Ichigo Kurosaki... I'd hate for Juhabach to capture my prize before its ready..."_

He was cut off by Ichigo's sudden roar as he picked himself up and charged down the Valiant. He held his blade tightly and pointed at him in mid-stride, yelling, "_Bankai!_"

Gekkani reared back in surprise as their was a large explosion of Reiatsu, and he readied his blades for combat. He sighed and mused to himself, "...Should've known he wasn't a quitter, especially if he's related to me..."

However, both he and Ichigo were shocked when the boy appeared from within the Reiatsu in nothing more than a simple white yukata. The Zanpakuto in his hand simply shattered, causing him to trip over his own feet at the surprise.

"...Is this truly your Bankai, Ichigo Kurosaki...? Surely, you must be joking."

Ichigo gasped out short breaths as he stared down at the shattered pieces of his blade, confusion overtaking him as he looked at Gekkani, who simply raised an eyebrow and snorted, "I guess not... That's good... That makes this easier for me..."

He frowned as the boy began to slide away from him, and Gekkani took off into a determined march towards him.

"...I have questions for you, Ichigo Kurosaki. Do not think you can escape from m-!"

He was cut off as a flash of white briefly overcame him, and he felt a force knock him further down the streets of Naruki.

Ichigo's hopes shot back up, though he reprimanded himself for thinking that. He blinked in slight disappointment when he noticed that the person hovering over him definitely had dark skin. He also had two bodies thrown over his shoulder, which was definitely surprising.

_'...He's moving like that...with both of them thrown over his shoulder?'_

Kaname Tosen's hands quickly went to his Zanpakuto's ring and he mumbled, "_Bankai... Suzumushi Tsuishiki, Enma Korogi._"

The next thing he knew, Tosen, along with the man had faded from his view, causing him to gaze upon a large dark orb connected and held together by nine rings before either he or the Valiant could react.

He watched in shock and silence for an indefinite amount of time before it had broken down and revealed Tosen dashing back towards him and Gekkani, who was bleeding profusely from the many wounds he received while in the dark Bankai.

"...You...! I'm gonna kill-!"

Gekkani stood there, panting in agitation and fury as he watched Tosen unravel a scroll and disappear with the boy before he could finish his sentence. After a moment of silence, he growled and sealed away his Spirit Weapon before Yago appeared.

"...So how'd it go?"

Gekkani frowned and turned back to Yago, commenting, "And here I was, thinking I could help him... What about Kugo?"

"Tch, what about him? After what I did to him, he's probably not okay..."

The leader scowled before saying, "Tell the others to get Juhabach's seal... And tell Soken that we're probably going to have to kill his grandson..."

* * *

Ichigo groaned as he slammed into the ground with immense force. He twitched as he struggled to pick himself up and forgo the pain, though that seemed impossible. After letting out a huff, he simply collapsed back onto the ground.

"...It's no use... You are not strong enough to pick yourself up."

He turned his head to see Tosen standing above him. The man reached down to help pull Ichigo up, though he simply slapped his hand away and forced himself to his feet. When he finally stood, though slightly wobbly, he glared at Tosen and growled, "What the hell did you kidnap me for!?"

"...Because there was no way the Senkaimon would allow you return to Soul Society in your current state... You are powerless now..."

At the man's words, Ichigo looked down at himself... He really was wearing the kimono of the average Rukon citizen... How could he...lose all of his powers? What the hell had happened?

As he though to himself, he suddenly noticed that two other people had been lying on the ground as well. The silver hair easily revealed to him that it was Gin Ichimaru, and the other body...

He scowled deeply and turned away from the body of his former mentor and Captain.

"...Are they...?"

Tosen, who was listening for something else, turned back to Ichigo and said, "Gin's still alive...and Aizen...not so much"

That was all Ichigo needed to hear before he pinched the bridge of his nose. He sighed and asking, "Where exactly are we...?"

"...The Espada's hideout."

At those words, Ichigo stared back at him with widened eyes and he said, "Do they know _you're_ here? After what you've-?"

"...And why do you think they're alive in the first place? You think Gin and I _failed _to kill them? We intended for them to live...obviously."

Ichigo's mouth gaped like a fish, but he held no response for that. Tosen simply nodded his head towards another area.

"If you're sure you can move, then we can get started..."

The younger Soul Reaper raised a brow and asked, "Get started? On what?"

* * *

"We left these few Arrancars alive... While Aizen began his planning, we began our own..."

Ichigo blinked as he followed after Tosen through the hallways of the hideaway. He commented, "So you and Gin...were plotting against him?"

"...Not really... Just alongside him while he was unaware."

Tosen waited for the sentence to sink in, though Ichigo still hadn't a clue about what he was speaking of. Before he prepared to enter the room marked, "Stay Out", he placed his hand on the knob before stating, "I think...it would be easier if I started from the beginning... To get you up to speed with what's happening..."

Ichigo looked towards the man incredulously, along with slight disbelief he sarcastically mumbled, "Someone's offering to explain shit to me? That's new."

"...From the very beginning, Aizen has never been your enemy."

Ichigo reared back in slight surprise as he commented, "That's quite a bold accusation, bro... You definitely need some facts...and probably some drugs or somethin'...to back up that claim."

"...Do you even know who Zangetsu really is?"

Absentmindedly, Ichigo reached to his hip, though he, with large disappointment, remembered that nothing was there.

"...Zangetsu Aizen was Aizen's ancestor who, alongside Yamamoto, sealed away Juhabach a thousand years ago."

"_...I am your Zanpakuto. I am Zangetsu."_

_ Ichigo gazed over to his Zanpakuto spirit out of the corner of his eye. The man was dressed in a tattered black coat with a white collar and cuffs. He hand long brown hair reaching down to his back, and a pair of sunglasses wrapped around his neck. What stood out the most was the single lock falling in front of his face, the black scelera behind his blue eyes, and the shining blue light emanating from his chest. He reminded him too much of Aizen._

_ "...Yeah, because Aizen inserted your power into me."_

_ Zangetsu frowned, a slightly comedic expression on his Aizen-like face, as he replied, "Yes, but you were a Soul Reaper before. All he did was awaken your powers, and I merged with your Asauchi. I am your Zanpakuto."_

"When you were a Human, he inserted into you the very powers that had passed through his generations. That power merged with your Soul Reaper powers and forged your Zanpakuto... From the very beginning, Aizen had intended for you to be the one to destroy Juhabach's powers if he failed."

Ichigo's form visibly dropped in surprise as he gazed passed Tosen.

"The way you said that... It sounded like he had planned this all out, even his death... I never knew Aizen's planswould..."

Tosen shrugged, "No one ever knew that he would put all of his hopes on to a single boy, either."

Ichigo blinked and repeated, "All of his hopes...? What the...?"

"...It would be better to explain this part inside..."

Tosen then turned the door knob and opened it, motioning for Ichigo to follow him into the dark room. He did so with a slight apprehension, glancing around the dimly lit area before a voice called out, "If you would turn the light on..."

"Kurosaki, turn the light on."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow before looking next to him and pushing the switch, causing the room to brighten and allowing him to see its contents.

The only thing he could say about this place was that it resembled a mad scientist's lab. In the dead center of the room was a tube of blue liquid, which contained that of a simple sword with a black and blue handle. There more tubes, each containing something weirder than the next. Off to his right, a set of Gigai lined against the wall, with one them injected with a pumps connected to two separate tubes.

Off to the side of that tube, a pink-haired ma-

Ichigo stopped...and did a retake.

A pink haired man with glasses and clothing that was...most definitely a little too tight on him sat at a computer terminal next to it. He stood up and politely bowed with a slight smirk on his face.

"...You must be Ichigo Kurosaki. Pleasure."

Tosen introduced the man, "This is Szayelaporro Granz, the former Octava Espada... Where is everyone else?"

The man shrugged, "The women are asleep elsewhere... I think the men are shopping today..."

Mentally, Ichigo snickered at the fact that he didn't consider himself one of the men, but kept quiet. He didn't have the power to back up any trash talking right now. While he was observing the room, Tosen had continued where he left off.

"You see, Zangetsu has an entirely different function than many Zanpakuto... Juhabach's powers are weak to it, due to Zangetsu sealing away his power with his Reiatsu... The remaining traces of that seal is still connected to Juhabach. Therefore, your Zanpakuto was custom-tailored to killing Juhabach, and anything that absorbs his powers.."

_"No, Kurosaki. It's you who is lost on everything."_

_Juhabach was unperturbed by the blood splatter on his face as he rammed his sword into Ichigo's gut, bringing him closer to his face._

_"...Your Fullbring... That accursed Quincy mockery... It belongs to me, now... I have now broken Aizen's greatest weapon against me..."_

Ichigo's eyes widened in realization, though he visibly fell and sighed, "But I don't have Zangetsu anymore..."

"Not that fake, anyways..."

The young man's neck snapped as he turned back to Tosen, who elaborated, "You weren't the only person walking around with Zangetsu's power... There was another individual who received them, though I don't think you would remember. You were a human at that time."

_Suddenly, the Captain groaned as he collapsed to the ground, coughing up gallons of blood as he fell over. Ichigo turned around, deactivating his Fullbring as he rushed to the fallen warrior at the same time as Ginjo. He stared up at the two of them as he held his Zanpakuto in his hand, and he smirked. He closed his eyes and inquired, "...So...are you going...to kill me now, Fullbringers...? You've stolen the Reiatsu of many Soul Reapers, but the energy of a Captain... would be too good of a chance to waste..."_

_ Ichigo frowned as he looked down at the man, prepared to simply walk away. However, he heard the formation of Ginjo's own Fullbring, and turned around just as the man pointed his claymore towards the fallen Captain._

_ "Oi! Let him go! He'll either be rescued by his team, or executed by traitors. Let him be, Ginjo."_

_ Ginjo's eyes snapped to Ichigo's as he commented, "You heard him... He's right about a Captain's Reiatsu... You're just gonna let it go to waste in a place like this?"_

_ "...You sound like a monster, Ginjo. Stop it... He's done nothing wrong, so I see no reason to kill him."_

_ Ichigo then turned on his heels, walking away until he heard the sound of blade piercing through flesh, and turned around screaming, "What the hell is wrong with you, Ginjo!?"_

_ The man had stabbed his claymore cleanly through the chest of the Captain, lifting him in the air as he began absorbing the brown-haired Soul Reaper's energy. Suddenly, a fist dug deep into his chin, knocking him down as scowled towards the offender._

_ "Kurosaki!? The hell is with you!?"_

_ Ichigo gritted his teeth as he punched Ginjo again, though the man recovered from the second blow by flipping to his feet. He rolled his shoulders and snarled, "Kurosaki... That is the last straw. Attack me again, an-"_

_ "And you'll what? You're not acting normal! You acting like a Hollow, damnit!"_

_ A cough from below Ichigo's feet drew his attention to the fallen Captain, who stared up at him and groaned out, "...You're helping... an enemy? You're an odd fellow..."_

_ "...You're the one who's odd, considering you helped me even though you knew I killed many Soul Reapers."_

_ The man chuckled and coughed out, "...Well... I can actually see...some good in you... You're not that bad of a guy... That's why... That's why I want to...entrust you with something..."_

_ Ichigo grimaced and visibly flinched as he felt the Soul Reaper point his blade towards the heart of the Fullbringer, and Ginjo shouted, "Fuck! Where'd they come from!?"_

_ Turning his head in Ginjo's direction, he realized that more Menos Grandes had landed in the area, looming over them as they all began to charge their Cero. However, the Captain's blade was stabbed through his chest before he had a chance to react, and an explosion of blue Reiatsu nearly blinded Ginjo as he turned back to Ichigo and shouted, "Shit! What did you just do, Captain!?"_

"...The day you first received your powers from Aizen, Kugo Ginjo did the same. The night Orihime Inoue took your powers was when I stole them back from Ginjo.

_ "...So what's been happenin' so far, Tosen? Looks pretty bad for Berry man... I thought Ginjo would be here to save him..."_

_ The dark-skinned Captain spoke silently, "I kept Xcution at bay with my Bankai..._

"That Zanpakuto that you've carried around since you awoke in Soul Society was the small source of Zangetsu's power that Ginjo managed to take that we returned to you."

Ichigo's mouth dropped at that revelation.

"...That was why you lost your powers the moment Aizen died. That was hostile Reiatsu stolen from Ginjo and given to you... That night, we gave you our powers so it could last until we found the original."

___ "...__We'll use it on him. Gin. Tosen. Put your Reiatsu into this blade."_

_ The orange-haired boy's eyes blinked as he woke up to a blinding pain in his chest. However, as __quickly as it appeared, it faded away._

_ "...We're leaving... Tosen, escort him to the Rukon District... We'll pick him up there..."_

_ When the boy acquired recognition of his surroundings, he realized that he was in the presence of a dark-skinned man, who held a glowing blade in his hand. In his other was a large sword. It looked familiar to him, but he couldn't place his fingers on it."_

_ "...You... Who are...?"_

_ The man frowned and replied, "There's no need to worry about that... As long as you can see me, that means it worked properly..."_

_ "...What...?"_

_ The man tossed the blade to Ichigo's feet, who stared down at it in confusion. He nervously gripped its handle as he looked back towards the man. The dark-skinned man nodded behind him where a large, traditional gate rested._

_ "Come with me, Ichigo Kurosaki... I'll show you the path you seek... I'll show you the path to justice..."_

"It also served the purpose of allowing us to keep track of you. Every word from that Zanpakuto spirit was controlled by Aizen, and it was his way of preparing you from afar... It was how he could find you without hesitation."

_He knew the man behind him had been cut down, but didn't know who was responsible until he looked up to the sky..._

_ ...and Sosuke Aizen stood above, watching him with slight interest as he held his bloody Kyoka Suigetsu in his outstretched hand._

_ "...You look slightly troubled... Ichigo Kurosaki..."_

_ Ichigo stared up in disbelief as his former Captain stood above him._

"...Yamamoto sent you on this mission because he knew that you did not possess the true powers of Zangetsu... Not yet..."

Ichigo mumbled, "The...true Zangetsu...? What...?"

"...Your Soul Reaper powers that you inherited from your father consisted of two parts of a whole being... Just like Hinamori's new Zanpakuto, yours had been formed from a Hollowfied Asauchi that attacked your mother before you birth..."

Ichigo's head tilted in confusion as he commented, "I never spoke to a..."

"...When you were alive."

Ichigo made a face before nodding and waiting for Tosen to continue.

"That Hollow merged with the powers of Zangetsu to become your Zanpakuto... That Hollow is inside of Sora Ishida..."

_'Orihime's older brother!?'_

"Gin and I originally attempted to draw the Hollow out to give back to you, but it has latched too far onto his Soul... It would kill him if we did so... We were able to carve out the Soul Reaper portion of Zangetsu that was inaccessible by Sora, which is the sword you see before you, untainted by_ 'White's'_ presence."

Ichigo's eyes widened and he turned back to the sword. Upon a closer look, he realized that the handle and hand-guard heavily resembled that of his Bankai, including the gyaku-manji guard and the chain attached to the pommel. Its blade, while still in the shape of the familiar daito, wasn't black.

"...The problem is that this blade is nothing more than an unusable set of powers... No Shikai nor Bankai... Without the Asauchi, it is nothing... That's when we decided to try something..."

Even though he knew Ichigo was paying very little attention to him, Tosen continued, "If you should know, Kisuke Urahara, through saving the Visored, discovered a new game changer... That was the fact that you can cancel out anything with its opposite... Gekkani Kurosaki and his group are all Quincy who have passed away, but their Hollow Reiatsu transformed them into Souls... This gives them one weakness..."

Ichigo then turned back to Tosen and waited for him to explain that as well.

"...They are no longer Human. They are Pure Fullbringers, so their powers are labeled as Hollow-Quincy. Therefore, a Human-Soul Reaper combination should be enough to put you on equal footing... The only Substitute Soul Reaper in the Gotei Thirteen is Karin Kurosaki, and she definitely isn't enough to defeat them all, let alone one if she's lucky."

Tosen was interrupted by a cough from Szayelaporro, and raised an eyebrow towards him.

"I want to explain this part, since this is _my_ expertise."

After a moment of silence, Tosen waved him on, and Szayelaporro immediately went into explanation, "...So in order to put you on equal footing with that Gekkani fellow, we need to give you the powers of Human...which in all honesty, does not exist... Except that we have found a way...! Or rather, we never noticed its existence..."

"...Granz."

The man rolled his eyes at Tosen's short comment and said, "To give you the powers of a Human, we decided to make the base of your Zanpakuto, or as you Reapers call it, the Asauchi, out of Human Souls!"

Ichigo leaned back away from the man as he began cackling madly, causing Tosen to interrupt and state, "We didn't actually use _Pluses_, though...because that concept already exists..."

"How so?"

That was definitely the wrong question to ask, as Szayelaporro jumped from his seat and yelled, "I thought you'd never ask!"

Much to Ichigo's surprise, the man suddenly opened his jacket and removing something. He realized that the Arrancar actually unsheathed his Zanpakuto. He held it out to Ichigo, and the young man looked down at it in confusion before he grabbed it.

"...Uh... What?"

Szayelaporro frowned and indicated the Zanpakuto again. As Ichigo still blankly stared at him, the Arrancar sighed and revealed, "It's an Arrancar's Zanpakuto..."

"...What?"

Tosen elaborated, "Hollows begin their lives in the Human World before becoming a Menos. In that time, they devour as many Souls as possible. When a Hollow cracks its mask, it becomes an Arrancar and obtains what is technically, an Asauchi forged from Human Souls."

Szayelaporro nodded and took the Zanpakuto back from Ichigo before continuing, "The reason for this Human appearance and that Asauchi is due to the Human Souls. Like a Soul Reaper, we imprint the essence of our abilities into it... That forms our Zanpakuto, and thus, our Resurreccion... However, if a Hollow less than a Menos was to become an Arrancar, in other words, and incomplete Arrancar, they would not be capable of using Resurreccion, as they have not consumed any Hollows and they would be in a constant state of release... Which means that the blade they wield is nothing more than an Asauchi.

"...Basically, you're saying that I need to find the Asauchi of an Arrancar that hasn't eaten another Hollow? In other words, a non-Menos Hollow?"

Tosen nodded, causing Ichigo to toss his hands up in defeat. The dark-skinned man then revealed, "It's a good thing we already have one... Or rather, you found one for us... And quite a powerful one, I might add."

"...What? When?"

_She barely flinched as the mask neared her face as her attention was drawn to Ichigo, who appeared in the air behind Tatsuki. A concentration of Reishi appeared in his hand, creating an arrow-like object. Using it like a knife, he quickly carved into the Hollow's mask, breaking it completely and revealing the confused expression of the teenage girl below it. Tatsuki fell to her knees, staring at her bloody hands in wonder._

"When a Hollow's mask is broken by something other than themselves or another Hollow, they return to their original selves for a while before the mask regenerates. However, as a Quincy, you destroyed it permanently, effectively making Tatsuki Arisawa an incomplete Arrancar... _The very same one you fought in Karakura Town._"

___Ichigo slowly turned his head until he made eye contact with another being. The stranger wore a tattered, white coat tied with a yellow ribbon. It wielded a large scythe over the red cape it wore. Ichigo's brown eyes met with a single lavender eye, as the other was covered beneath spiky, dark hair. Upon further studying, Ichigo noted that the person in front of him was female, if the open cleavage had anything to do with it, and that between the valley of her breasts was the hole of a Hollow._

"But she...self-destructed...her weapon..."

___"__Do you remember, now, Ichigo...? Have you come to your senses?"_

Tosen pointed behind him at another tube, which an held an ugly, worm-like creature with a scythe for a tail.

___"__I just want you to remember, Ichigo...! Even If I have to force you!____"_

"...That parasitic Hollow was an experiment by Kisuke Urahara that latched onto her Soul. That thing _is_ Tatsuki Arisawa's living Zanpakuto...and it escaped from her before her detonation. And the only things it may have consumed were Pluses...along with your very own abilites..."

_A foot planted itself in Ichigo's face, knocking him a distance away. When the dust cleared after he skid across the cement, he stared into the grinning, large-eyed mask._

_ The masked visage was attached to a feminine body dressed in tattered clothing. The figure was crouched over on all fours before standing to a hunched position. Attached to the right arm was a worm-like being, which had a scythe-like tail on the end of it._

_ Ichigo felt disgusted as he watched the Hollow munch slowly on his torn arm, allowing saliva and blood to ooze from its mouth as it watched him. The dark hair, spiky and long, flowed from the back of the skeletal mask, and revealed to him the identity of the being in front of him._

_ "Tatsuki...?"_

_ The torn arm fell from the being's mouth as it grinned largely, wailing into the air and signaling for its next meal._

Szayelaporro nodded and finished, "In conclusion, we're going to use Mrs. Arisawa's Zanpakuto, if you will, to fill that Modified Gigai over here with the Souls of the Pluses that Tatsuki Arisawa and this Hollow had consumed and create the Asauchi... And then use that sword there to forge the Asauchi into your beloved Zangetsu."

Ichigo nodded feverishly and watched as Szayelaporro suddenly yelled out, "Commence the operation!" before pressing a button on his terminal and watching his work in progress.

At that time, the Hollow suddenly dissolved in the glowing waters of the tubes. Ichigo watched as the liquids then flowed together in the same pump that connected to the Gigai in the back of the room, which slowly twitched to life as it was pumped full of liquid.

Eventually the liquid from the containers finally emptied out, though the Asauchi simply stood there. Szayelaporro eventually pressed another button, which emptied the liquid in the container with the sword. Afterwards, the glass fell as well, presenting the sword to Ichigo who reached out and grabbed it.

"...Now stab that blade into the Asauchi to see if it works."

Ichigo nodded and moved to the being simply standing there and stabbed the blade into its chest...and it grabbed Ichigo's arm tightly.

"Holy shit! Let go!"

Using its other hand, it grabbed the blade and pulled it further into its chest, causing Ichigo to let go as it fully absorbed the blade until the pummel and chain was the only sticking out.

Ichigo watched in in slight fear as the thing...no...as his Asauchi stop moving. As if recognizing him, it slowly leaned in closer, which was kinda awkward in Ichigo's opinion... I mean, unless you're Urahara or something, who would appreciate a muscular human thing in their faces?

The Asauchi slowly collapsed to its knees before holding its arm out to Ichigo, who hesitantly reached out and grabbed it. The skin on its head slowly began to peel away, revealing dark, spiky locks. The shape of the Asauchi became distinctly feminine, much to Ichigo's surprise. Its bowed head suddenly gazed up at Ichigo with a slight smirk on its face as it locked eyes with its master.

* * *

The sudden ringing of a bell woke Ichigo from his blank stupor, and realized that he was in some sort of building. He noticed that his Soul Reaper clothing had returned to his body, though without his haori. He stood in the center of a crossroad-like hallway. He looked down one way, and then another. When he turned towards a third path, he noticed that a figure took off into a mad dash around a corner.

"Hey, wait! Are you Zangetsu!?"

Ichigo soon followed after them in a rush. He passed the corner and chased the person down to the next corner. After passing around that one, he noticed the hurried closing of a door. He hurriedly moved over to it before slamming it open and gazing into the room.

It appeared to take on the look of a classroom... Very similar to the ones he had seen in his Human book during the Academy. He frowned, as there wasn't any sign that someone had been here except the open window.

He walked over to it and glanced out of it, wondering if the person he saw had left through the window.

"...Kinda nostalgic, ain't it? This place?"

Ichigo squeaked and almost fell out of the window before a hand gripped his clothing and pulled him back in. He stumbled over his feet and fell backwards, though he landed in a seat.

"...Did you just squeak?"

He panted heavily before turning to his left and gasped upon looking at the female next to him. She had long dark hair, stopping beneath her shoulders, and wore a gray outfit that was similar to Orihime's school uniform.

She had her arms and legs crossed as she stared at him in amusement. She repeatedly tapped her foot against the desk. Remembering her accusation, he denied, "No way in hell...! You just... You...uhhh..."

"Startled you? Made ya scared? It's alright to admit it. You see, I can understand what you feel, so there's no reason to lie to me."

Ichigo blinked in surprise before, "...That means you're definitely my Zanpakuto... You are Zangetsu, right?"

The woman nodded and simply tapped her feet faster, as if she was waiting for something. Ichigo awkwardly rubbed his neck as she stared expectantly at him.

"...What?"

She frowned and deadpanned, "You don't even recognize me, do you? I know it's been a while, but surely you can think back just a little?"

"...Yeah, you're Zangetsu, right?"

The woman sighed and nodded the affirmative.

"Sure, that's my Zanpakuto's name...but don't you recognize me?"

Ichigo blinked and pointed at her with a smirk and joked, "Is this a trick question? Lemme guess, the Hollow, right?"

That was, apparently, the wrong answer, as she suddenly jumped up and screamed, "Is that what I am to you!? That's it!? Were we not friends!?"

Ichigo reared back in shock before commenting, "I mean, you kinda look like Tatsuki Ishida, but her hair's a bit shorter... I wouldn't exactly call myself her friend."

"Arrrgghhh! Ichigo, you asswipe! What's the big idea, huh!? Why can't you remember!?"

Ichigo blinked in false shock as though a wave of remembrance poured over him and he dramatically laughed, "Yeah, I remember you, buddy ol' pal...! We used...we used to be tight, right...? Right...?"

"...Quit fuckin' lying to me! I just want you to remember, Ichigo...! Even If I have to force you!"

His eyes widened... as he suddenly re-imagined the dark, seductive face of the Hollow he fought long in her stead. He was barely able to mumble, "Tatsuki...Arisaw-?" before a hand grabbed his face and carried him out of the window to the grassy campus of the school.

He rolled away through the glass shards and skidded back as he recovered. Snapping his gaze to the woman, he watched as she reached down and grabbed at the air, forming a dark sheath with a handle similar to the one in Szayelaporro's lab. Before he realized it, her school uniform faded away from her body, revealing her in her Shihakusho.

She wore a white, sleeveless undershirt with a high collar and a black vest over it, similar in design to the top of the Onmitsukido leaders. The vest was unbuttoned towards the bottom, revealing her belly-button. She wore a black skirt tied with a with a white belt and thigh-length black socks, along with the sandals of the Arrancar.

Making a pulling motion against her hand, she caused a fingerless glove to appear, and did the same to her other hand. After that, she held her blade out and slowly unsheathed it, finally revealing that it was the exact same blade. She scowled and twirled it by its chain on her fingers.

"...What are you staring at me like an idiot for!? Pick your weapon up!"

Ichigo looked down at his feet and noticed that Zangetsu had appeared there. He quickly bent over and drew it from its sheath and prepared to defend himself before a searing pain burned into his chest.

He looked down and noticed a chain there, causing him to rear back in shock.

"Don't worry... This chain of fate isn't going to turn you into a Hollow or anything..."

Ichigo then looked at the woman, who had the same chain...as a matter of fact, they were both connected to each other.

"...This is to make sure that your ass can't run from me! I'm gonna beat you into submission, just like old times, until I make you remember who I am!"

Ichigo's mouth dropped agape and he yelled, "Zangetsu! Tatsuki! Tatsuki Arisawa!"

Zangetsu frowned before wagging her fingers with an amused smirk.

"I should have seen that one coming... but you're fucking lying to me again! Say my name, bitch!"

* * *

Trivia:

-The story has around 15-20 planned chapters left.

-Zangetsu being Aizen's ancestor was the reason the Spirit had the appearance of Aizen's Hogyoku form.

-The piece of power that Tosen stole from Ginjo and gave to Ichigo allowed his to use Getsuga Tensho. He doesn't use the true Getsuga Tensho, as that fragment is gone.

-I had planned for Ichigo to gain his power back from Sora, however, recent revelations in the Manga caused me to change that. Based on Urahara's explanation for saving the Visored, I decided that Ichigo's new, and final, powers would be made to oppose the Valiants, which were Quincy-Hollow Fullbringers. Thus, he would have regained Sora as his human body to cancel that out, though I would have had to kill Sora off.

However, when Nimaiya revealed that he had forged Zanpakuto out of Soul Reaper Souls, and that Aizen built a Hollowfied Asauchi by accident, I briefly wondered if something similar happened to the Arrancars. "What if their Zanpakuto were made out of a large pile of souls, like, say, the other Hollows they've consumed, and they simply imprinted the nuclei of their abilities on all of those Hollows to make their Zanpakuto?"

Random theory, I know, but then I realized that a non-Menos Hollow doesn't consume other Hollows, only Human Souls. Then I looked at Grand Fisher, who actually transformed, but never released his Zanpakuto, and Aisslinger and Demoura, who were in a constant state of release, and came up with the idea that their Zanpakuto would have been piled up with Human Souls, and is why the Arrancar's appearance would become more human-like.

Then, Ichigo would reform a Zanpakuto through Human Souls and use Zangetsu's power to merge with it, similar to before... Which is how I decided to bring Original Tatsuki back.

-I had intentionally meant for Zangetsu's form to be revealed as either Orihime or Tatsuki during Chapter 24. However, around Chapter 20, I came up with the concept of Zangetsu being a relative to Aizen and the one who sealed Juhabach away. That's why I decided to use Tatsuki as the Zanpakuto this time around.

-Ichigo has only seen Tatsuki as a Hollow, so he doesn't recognize her as a human. He also has no idea that KtM!Tatsuki looks the same as Canon!Tatsuki.


	34. Forget Me Not, Forgive Me Now

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

"...Well, what are you waiting for? You want me to go first?"

Ichigo stood with his sealed katana held out in front of him. Zangetsu tilted her head and waited, and the two began a stare-off.

"...No, I see you are trying to understand my stance and fighting style... At least you have some observation skills... But you don't understand, Ichigo. You don't know how to use that blade properly, because we fight completely different."

The young man scowled and said, "We're both connected, aren't we? We should fight similar, though I understand that yo-"

"No, we don't."

That was all she said before she dashed forward rapidly and moved to swipe at his head. Ichigo raised his own blade to block, though she eventually faded from his view.

Ichigo's features morphed into surprise as he felt her appear behind him. He shifted on his heels and crossed his arms to block her incoming kick, which sent him skidding further back along the campus.

"That's pretty pathetic, Ichigo... I'll give you props for reacting fast enough, but you barely kept up with my movements... Sad, really."

He shook his head to clear his mind as he stood up at full height again. The Zanpakuto spirit held her blade out as she motioned for him to come closer. With a yell, Ichigo took off into a mad sprint and cleared the distance between the two in a matter of seconds.

"This is what I mean, Ichigo, when I say you and I fight completely different."

She did the same and charged Ichigo at the same time, forcing the two in a collision in mid-air. After rebounding off of each other, Zangetsu looked up to see him thrusting his blade out. She smirked slightly and inserted her finger into the chain before spinning it rapidly and blocking Ichigo's attack.

She then continued spinning the blade while dancing and twirling towards Ichigo, who frowned as he attempted to catch an opening... He backed away as she edge closer to him, making sure to stay clear of the sharp, razoring sound of the whirling blade.

_'There!'_

He slashed towards her head, which she easily ducked under and swept him off of his feet. The twirling suddenly stopped as she gripped the handle and prepared to bring the blade down into Ichigo's throat. Ichigo shut his eyes as he prepared for the pain.

"...And that's that."

Ichigo's eyes peeped open, with him finally noticing the blade of Zangetsu hovering above him. She stepped back and waited for him to pull himself together.

"You would have lost... But I can see the words clear in your eyes... they say: '_If I could've used my Shikai, this would have been a different story._' So I'll allow you that, Ichigo. I want you to use my Shikai..."

The young man panted as he slowly moved to his feet, though slightly hunched over. She held her blade out and said, "Now, repeat after me... _Flash_... _Zangetsu!_"

Ichigo frowned a little before hesitantly looking down at his own blade. He looked back at the woman, who held a jet-black blade in her hand, though it was relatively unchanged from its sealed state.

She growled at his confused expression and taunted, "Lemme guess...: '_I thought the release command was 'Kill the Moonlight'_?' Get that weak shit outta my face, Ichigo... That mantra that Aizen-lookalike tricked you into repeating wasn't worth crap... Now do you know why my command is _'flash'_?"

Ichigo had the distinct feeling that she was going to tell him that his answer was wrong, so he decided to be silent.

"...'It's because of the Getsuga Tensho, right, Great and Powerful Tatsuki Arisawa, also known as Zangetsu? Surely I'm correct?' Far from it, genius."

Ichigo deadpanned for two reasons... First, was that he was right...which was about the fact that he was wrong. Secondly...

"You're pretty full of yourself, huh? Was the 'old' Tatsuki the same way?"

Zangetsu raised an eyebrow and said, "As were you, idiot! That still doesn't change the fact that you use that blade improperly!"

Now Ichigo was just confused... What did she mean by that?

"...Alright... I know you won't understand unless we have a demonstration. So release your blade already!"

Ichigo did just that, and watched as the steel blade faded to black. It almost felt like his Bankai again. He flashed into the air above her and held his blade overhead, compressing blue energy onto his blade.

_'Here it comes.'_

"_Getsuga...Tensho!_"

She sighed and held down her own blade, allowing dark energy to flow over her blade.

"_**Getsuga...Tensho.**_"

Ichigo was unable to keep the surprise out of his face as she powered the blade up with black energy.

_'Kuroi Getsuga!? That's not possible outside of Bankai! Is this...? Is this an ability of Zangetsu's new blade!?'_

She aimed the tip of her blade towards the ground and let the explosive energy blast out behind her, causing her to shoot up towards the young man like a rocket. She cleanly cut through his own Getsuga Tensho and, in the next second, had appeared in front of Ichigo.

"You look confused, Ichigo!"

She swung and clashed blades with his own, sending him flying back onto the school's rooftop. When he looked up, she had disappeared from her spot. Looking overhead, he noticed her flying down on him and he yelled out, "Getsuga Tenshun!"

Even though he was able to fully block most of the attack, her blade was still powerful enough to force him back and push him deeper into the rooftops.

"Where are you looking?"

Ichigo looked over his shoulder as Zangetsu grabbed it from behind him. She snapped her foot forward, creating a large explosion across the top of the building that sent him flying back to the sporting areas.

When he was able to recover, he looked up as she appeared in front of him while leaning against the blade. He growled and stood to his feet and panted as he tried to understand what he was doing wrong.

"...You're an idiot, Ichigo. Haven't you ever wondered...why your Bankai and Shikai were always totally different?"

Ichigo's eyes narrowed as he questioned, "What do you mean...? They're similar... No Zanpakuto has a Shikai and Bankai with unrelated abilities."

"...That's not what I meant... I mean, did it not ever occur to you that you use your Bankai completely different than your Shikai? You're slow in your Shikai, yet deceptively fast in Bankai?"

_'Of course... You're supposed to... Bankai functions completely different, so they have to be used differently...My Bankai is meant to compress my energy and increase my spe-'_

Zangetsu raised an eyebrow and said, "You might think that's correct, but it's not."

When Ichigo stared at her apprehensively, she elaborated, "All Soul Reapers use Bankai as a trump card... But what a Soul Reaper truly aims for...is finding a similar style with their Shikai and Bankai, so they can use it as a trump card instead of a dedicated fighting style. The sign of a successful Soul Reaper is not mastering Bankai, but being able to defeat an opponent before it comes to that."

"What? That doesn-"

Zangetsu blinked and sighed, "Bankai is meant to be your panic button when your Shikai fails, but _you_, my friend, press that button _way_ too early. That's why more experienced fighters, like Unohana and Halibel, are capable of overwhelming your Bankai without releasing their own Zanpakuto."

_He felt the woman's Reiatsu pulse through his sword, and then his own body. Before he knew it, the blade reverted back to his Shikai, and his Shihakusho went back to normal._

_ "What the...? What the hell did you just do!?"_

_ The woman held her gaze for a moment before flipping him over her shoulder, throwing him into the ground. Before he could recover, she came down upon his windpipe with her knee, crushing it easily under the pressure._

_ "...You've been practicing with your Bankai... but you haven't mastered it. If you had, you would have known that a high enough level of Reiatsu can disrupt the rhythm of Bankai... Just because your Bankai is condensed does not exclude you from that rule... Your Bankai's overwhelming strength comes full force when you released your techniques... All I have to do is release an equal amount, and I can cancel your Bankai."_

_ '...But tha-'_

"'That's just experience, right? They've fought longer than I have, so they're simply better than me.' That's bitch talk, Ichigo. It's not that you're much weaker than them, but you fail to realize that you've been using your Zanpakuto wrong!"

She disappeared from her spot and appeared on his side, bringing her foot against his ribcage and kicking him to the side.

"You think your Zanpakuto's ability is to use destructive attacks, don't you? That's why you created all of those other Getsuga Tensho knock-offs, right? That...that..._'Getsuga Tenshun'_...and _'Kokuryu Gatotsu'..._ That was your Hollowfied Reiatsu trying to show everyone who has the biggest balls, idiot!"

Ichigo froze, allowing her to hit him again. He slid back and brought his blade down as she slashed at him again.

"Juhabach's long taken that Fullbring from you, so what do you have left? That Soul Reaper part! Those blasts are nice and all, but the true abilities of your Zanpakuto revolves around beating the shit outta enemies! It's a melee-type, not an artificial Kido-type! Think on that, Ichigo!"

Ichigo frowned and moved to kick her, landing a blow on her neck. She stared at him confused before simply fading away and appearing next to him. He glanced over his shoulder in fear and stuttered, "How...How d-did y-?"

"Cause I know how to use this Zanpakuto correctly!"

He was actually getting quite tired of being thrown around the school, Ichigo thought to himself, as he crashed into a classroom on the second floor. He looked around to see if she was anywhere near...which he knew she was.

He wasn't disappointed when she broke through the floor clashed with him again, causing the desks to fly away from the shock wave they produced.

"You still haven't thought about it yet, have you!?"

Ichigo frowned as she continued, "It's speed, you idiot! Your blade was deceptively large to hide the true strength of your Zanpakuto! Your Zanpakuto's true strength is its unbelievable speed!"

_'...What?'_

"Zangetsu is the fastest Zanpakuto in existence... It's not just the power that makes it damn good, but its speed! How fast you swing, how fast Getsuga Tensho travels...Not even the Stealth Force would be able to keep up with them if you'd use them properly! That Issen Getsuga was the only thing you've done correctly!"

Ichigo's eyes snapped open in shock, causing his guard to drop for a minute before Zangetsu sent him flying through the walls. She held her blade tightly in her grasp before mumbling, "_Kokuryu Gatotsu_."

His gaze snapped back to her as she called out the name of her attack...but it was a lot different than he remembered... Actually, it seemed like...

_"...Burn, Engetsu..."_

"'It looks like my father's Zanpakuto', right? That's what Kokuryu Gatotsu looks like when it is controlled properly... It's not some one-time explosion! It's designed for augmenting your swings without having to charge it!"

It happened so fast. All she did was raise her blade and a powerful force ripped through his chest, sending him flying further away followed by a thick trail of blood.

"As I said, your Zanpakuto's sole purpose is to kick ass, point blank! Getsuga Tensho isn't meant to be charged up like some Shonen Anime hero! You swing faster to make it stronger! It's a magnified _slash_! Key word is slash, not explosion!"

_'...I don't understand... For someone who was so angry about my lack of memory... Why is she adamant on teaching this to me...? I thought...she was fighting to make me remember...?'_

"You know what? That's it... I'm done now."

When Ichigo flipped to his feet, he glanced up towards Zangetsu, who hovered above him in the sky. She pointed her blade down at him and repeated, "I'm done playing, Ichigo. I've released the limiter on your Bankai, and that chain..."

Ichigo felt the weight of the chain leave his chest.

"If you are completely unsure of yourself, then you may leave now. If you are unprepared to live for the future... Then stay dead in the past."

She left the statement hanging in the air before she suddenly yelled, "_Ban...kai_!"

Ichigo covered his face as a large explosion rocked the entire school, nearly throwing him off of his feet. After being pelted with dust and rocks, he was finally able to glance up without fear of harming his eyes.

"_Tensa Zangetsu._"

The smoke cleared around Zangetsu's form, revealing the trademarked long coat of the usual Bankai, separated into two white coattails . Unlike before, it was sleeveless. The blade also appeared similar to his Fullbring-based Bankai, though the cutting edge was trimmed with red and the chain wrapped around her gloves.

Her faced was twisted by a wicked snarl as she yelled, "...Now do you understand, Ichigo!? You were unbelievably slow in your Shikai, and I ran complete circles around you! Do you really believe you can catch me in your Bankai...!? You might as well stop now, before I decide to really hand it to you!"

"_Bankai..._"

Zangetsu narrowed her eyes as Ichigo emerged from the smoking crater with a similar appearance to her, even down to the fingerless gloves and the Arrancar's tabi and zori.

"I...don't understand you. You want me to remember...whatever it is you want me to remember... But how am I to do that by fighting you?"

Zangetsu frowned and said, "You yourself had once said that you can only understand someone when you clash blades with them... So why is it that you can't understand me?"

"...Cause your intentions don't make any sense to me! You want me to remember something I can't, and you're reprimanding me for fighting the way I do, but none of it makes any amount of sense! I don't understand why you're preventing me from gaining the power needed to save the Soul Society!"

The Spirit's teeth grounded together in agitation and she shouted, "Because you can't see it! I'm not going to let you out with this weak mindset! That man, Gekkani, will slaughter you, regardless of whether you have my power or not! You don't understand this is really about!"

The time for questions had long passed, Ichigo figured, as she immediately dashed towards him with her blade poised to strike. Brows furrowed, he raised his blade to counter and the two collided in the middle of the air. After passing through each other, they both turned with their Zanpakuto's bursting with black energy and yelled out simultaneously.

"_**Getsuga-**_"

"_**-Tensho!**_"

Now... Ichigo truly realized what she was saying... With her moving too fast, he didn't have enough time to charge any of his attacks, nor come up with a strategy... So he simply swung and hoped for the best and reacted when he could.

_"...__Good thinking, Kurosaki... I see you've understood my intentions clearly... Keeping your distance to keep me in your sights... Hone your senses... Don't let your guard down for even a moment..."_

He swung and blocked each strike, attempting to counter when he could. Then, he felt her Zangetsu nick his shoulder, causing him to freeze up.

_"Mo-Mother!"_

_ All the boy heard was the chuckling of a demon, but he saw nothing else but his dead mother lying on top of him. A bright light glowed from his mother's neck, and he saw no more._

Ichigo shook his clear...whatever the hell that was... away from his mind. He looked up to the sky where Zangetsu stared at him...as if she knew what was going on.

While she kept her distance, he took his time to take a note from her own book.

"_Kokuryu Gatotsu._"

He could have sworn that the woman had smirked a little when he used it. She allowed to the darkness to embrace her blade as well as she pointed it down towards him. She simply flicked her wrist and announced, "...Issen Getsuga."

He was surprised once more. What he assumed to have been a high-speed slash was instead the form of a Reiatsu bullet piercing through his chest.

_'That flick...was essentially the shape of her slash... That was too fa-'_

Ichigo then slowly pinched the bridge of his nose, as the triumphant look of the Zanpakuto Spirit annoyed him to no end.

"Don't look so embarrassed. You're definitely paying attention now. I'm proud of you."

He frowned and reared his blade back and for a charged Getsuga Tensho. Zangetsu's face dropped and she sighed, "Never mind... Goddamnit, did you listen to a word I said!? You really think I'm gonna give you time to use that!?"

"Getsuga..."

To prove a point, she appeared in front of him, preparing to lob his head off before Ichigo suddenly disappeared. Zangetsu's eyes widened in shock and she disbelievingly shouted, "Wh-What the hell!?"

"...Tensho!"

Upon hearing the voice, her eyes widened further as she twisted her neck to look over her shoulders. It was too late though, as Ichigo, with both hands on Zangetsu, slammed his blade down with a heavy arm. She was sent flying towards the ground by the large blast, covered by a large explosion.

Ichigo blankly watched the ground. He turned his head to his left, where she appeared mostly unharmed, though her skin was slightly tinged and burned.

"...Where'd you learn that...?"

He shrugged and answered, "Earlier, you did something similar... It reminded me of a move I actually used once..."

_He swung the blade in her direction and shouted, "Getsuga Tensho! Ranbu!"_

_ The blade stopped only a few feet in front of him. However, the blue energy continued towards her in a propeller-like manner, spiraling rapidly in her direction with six blades. She jumped into the air as it destroyed the area below her, and she commented, "...That was too slow..."_

_ "That was the point."_

_ Her eyes widened as she heard him from behind her, and she turned the moment he screamed out, "Getsuga Tensho!"_

_ She found herself face-to-face with the flash of blue light, and was sent towards the ground._

"See...? Looks like I'm not that incompetent, right?"

Zangetsu blankly stared back at him. She sighed and said, "You aren't... I guess... I guess it's time to wrap it up."

Ichigo turned towards her to question what she meant, though the only thing he found was a blade in his face. He grabbed it with his hand, causing it to slightly nick at his palm.

_"Ichigo!"_

_ Once again, she found herself watching the bright-haired stare across that riverbank where his mother was killed. Upon hearing his name called, the boy turned his head and saw Tatsuki. He waved at her slightly before turning back to the riverbank._

_ "Hey, Tatsuki."_

_ She frowned a little, but walked over to him while he sat under the railing._

_ "...So what are you staring at?"_

_ He shrugged and replied, "Nothing. There's not much to look at..."_

What was that image he had seen? Was that Tatsuki? How is she-?

He stopped, as he remembered what Urahara and his father told him they day Chojiro Sasakibe was killed...

_"...You had, at one point, been cut by that very Hollow you fought and lost your memories. Tatsuki had attempted to restore them that night in Karakura, but Orihime saved you... A mistake that wasn't meant to be..."_

_I just want you to remember, Ichigo...! Even If I have to force you!_

Is that what she's doing? Why didn't she just do that in the first pla-?

_If you are completely unsure of yourself, then you may leave now. If you are unprepared to live for the future... Then stay dead in the past._

_ 'Was...she really talking to me...when she said that...? Or was she...?'_

He frowned and dashed towards her as she did the same... However, before the two could clash, he released his blade, watching as her own stabbed through his abdomen. His eyes widened as a torrent of memories surged through his mind.

_"...Is it true? Ichigo, is it true that you can see ghosts?"_

_ Ichigo Kurosaki looked back towards Tatsuki Arisawa. After a moment to think about the question, he bowed his head in his lap and said, "...I can't see them..."_

_ "Thought so... I knew those guys were lying... Mikami and them were making a fuss, saying that 'Kurosaki is always looking at deserted places, talking to no one, because he can see ghosts'."_

_ Ichigo laughed nervously alongside her._

He and Zang-no, Tatsuki, locked eyes with each other. The only thing he could sense in them were sorrow...and as the images kept coming, he finally understood why...

_**...I see now... Why you were teaching me... Why you cut me those few times... You were giving me hints...of the past... You were...afraid... **__**Unlike Orihime, who easily gave my powers back...**_

_"'I can at least purify you with no hesitation'? The old 'Kurosaki' would have never said anything like that... You were aiming to kill Tatsuki twice..."_

_ The dark-haired Soul Reaper frowned and gritted his teeth as he screamed out, "She's become a Hollow, damnit! There is no cure for that but death! I won't let my friend continue this empty life! She'll be sent somewhere better than this ignorant world!"_

_ Uryu's eyes narrowed as he stared at Ichigo. A slight smirk appeared on his face as he commented, "'Ignorant world'? You sound like a Anime villain, idiot... Sadly, Ichigo, this is the Saturday where your plans come crumbling down. If you're going to abandon your best friend like that, then the 'Ichigo Kurosaki' that I knew...died a long time ago."_

_ "...I'm not some villain... I speak the truth... There's nothing but injustice in this rotten world... The losers wait on the bottom, while those on the top sit idly, watching as we struggle! You should understand me, Ishida! Have you forgotten your grandfather!?"_

_ Uryu frowned and gritted his teeth, screaming out, "Shut the hell up, Kurosaki! Stop talking like you understand me!_

_ Ichigo's visage darkened as he announced, "Sit here then... Watch as more people end up like you and me... However, I won't allow this to continue! I will become a symbol of hope...! I will place the losers at the top of the food chain!"_

_** ...She loved me, no matter what...but she was also...the only one to protest against that...'intervention'...even after everything I've done.  
**_

_"...You better fix this with Orihime, Ichigo. The next time I see you, I'm gonna beat you into submission...just like old times... I won't let you lose yourself to this... Whatever you've become..."_

_**Even as a Hollow... You were afraid... You were trying to hold back that Hollow from touching me with that scythe...**_

_I'm sorry...I can't control what this body does... I failed, though... I let this happen...so I could get the power to save my friend... It's too late for that... So I'm leaving Ichigo to you..._

_**...Because you didn't want me to remember...**_

"Tatsuki."

At the woman's sniffling, Ichigo repeated, "Tatsuki, answer me."

She peeked out at him from one the eye uncovered by her overshadowing bangs. She slowly withdrew the blade from his gut before dropping it and throwing it down. Her Shihakusho and Bankai faded, and she was left standing in her school uniform.

"Tatsuki, I remember now... I remember everything..."

She rubbed her palm against her face and nodded before turning around and walking away.

"...Don't leave...not yet..."

She stopped, but didn't turn around. Ichigo slowly stepped forward and said, "You didn't want me to remember...because you were afraid of what I'd do...?"

"...You told me earlier...that you wanted the power to save the Soul Society... But the Ichigo I knew...wanted that world to suffer... If I'd given you your memories back... Would you really...have given you_r _life to save Soul Society? Or would you have left it to fall? Since I left Karin's game that day the moment I felt you come into the Human World...that question haunted me..."

Ichigo looked down at his feet as she continued, "What if I gave you back your memories...and you did the same thing again? When I woke up here, as Zangetsu, I realized that I had been put into that position once more... Should I give them back, or leave you as you are?"

"...So you were teaching me...in case I made the decision to leave?"

A short sound of laughter resounded from her throat as she joked, "I don't think there's any Ichigo Kurosaki in any universe that would ever run away... So I gave you the choice...of whether you wanted them or not... You can decide for yourself whether you want to save them or not... You can make your own decision, now..."

She sighed and continued her trek towards the ruined school building. She was shocked when Ichigo's gloved hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into his chest.

"...I have new memories as well, Tatsuki... I can't...pretend the last thirty years of my last didn't exist, especially with all of the people I've met... I still have promises I have to keep, after all... So you don't have to worry about that anymore... You can let me go, Tatsuki... From now on, we'll fight together...as life partners..."

She sat there lying against his chest, still slightly embarrassed for being pulled there, but more content than ever... She didn't fail Orihime after all... Wait...

___'...Life...partners...?_

She suddenly pushed Ichigo away her and kicked him in the stomach. Ichigo blinked and stood up with an incredulous look on his face. With her face red with either embarrassment or anger, she glared at Ichigo over her shoulder after turning away from him.

"'Life partners'!? What the hell!? Don't say weird shit like that!"

Ichigo shook his fist angrily as he shouted, "You would ruin the moment after I gave such an inspirational quote!? Didn't that make you feel all special inside!?"

"No! That's so weird!"

Ichigo huffed and turned away from her, and she did the same. After a couple of seconds filled with silence, Tatsuki was the first to speak.

"...That's good...I'm happy with the choice you made... From now on, you can count on me to protect you!"

Ichigo blinked and stared back at her as she smirked to herself and mumbled, "That sentence was pretty useful... I'll have to store that one for future use!"

"You...really are full of yourself, aren't you? Tch, you never change, Tatsuki."

She chuckled and said, "You better get used to calling me Zangetsu. If you say my real name, I'm not going to allow you use of my Zanpakuto, buddy."

Ichigo said nothing and before turned back to see the rest of Karakura Town. He looked down at his feet and frowned as he watched them slowly fade away.

___**...I'm sorry, Tatsuki...that you had to go through such lengths for me...**_

He looked over his shoulder towards her, though she was facing the other direction.

___**...I'm sorry, Chad... I wished I could have kept you from leaving...**_

Half of his body was nearly gone.

___**...I'm sorry, Uryu...that you lived with the thought of being second to me...**_

He looked down at Tensa Zangetsu, which he had forgotten to seal away. He dropped it as the light passed over him.

___**...And I'm sorry, Orihime...because even after I abandoned everyone, you still never gave up on me, even after I 'died'... I'm sorry I didn't realize that until after you died...**_

___** ...But I'm going to have ask you all to wait for my official apology...until the next time we're all together...**_

Tatsuki sighed to herself and placed her hands on her hips. She shook her head and murmured, "...There's nothing to be sorry for, idiot. What's done is done."

* * *

When Ichigo's eyes snapped open, he found himself back in the lab, still in the same position he stood in. The Gigai-Asauchi was gone from its spot though.

Behind him, Tosen commented, "That's good... It was successful, after all."

From the man's side, Szayelaporro scoffed, "And what? Did you think it wasn't?"

"...Not really. But moving on..," Tosen drawled out as the mad scientist growled. He turned to Ichigo and asked, "How are you feeling?"

"...It seems that memory technique from the Hollow got added on to Zangetsu... I remember everything now."

Tosen paused in his stance, almost as if he were on edge. The slight ringing sound coming from his waist gave away the fact that his fingers were moving closer to his hilt.

"...There would be no point in attacking me... I'm not interested in destroying the Soul Society... The moment I accepted that haori, that became my home... And I know now that there is no one to blame...except Juhabach, but now, I have no interest in destroying the new bonds I've made."

Tosen hummed to himself and relaxed...then Ichigo finished, "Plus, I'd kick your ass."

From somewhere deep within him, he could have sworn he heard Tatsuki shout_, ____"Damn staight! Act like a bitch, get smacked like a bitch!"_

* * *

Trivia:

-Zangetsu's Sealed form is similar to Hollowfied Zangetsu's Bankai, though the hilt is also black as well. The Shikai is Canon Ichigo's original Bankai, and his Bankai is the Fullbring version, except the cutting edge is red. The red is based from Hollowed Tatsuki's(Dark Rukia) Scythe, and is responsible for the memory abilities. Ichigo won't use them though.(Tsukishima bullshit? Not 'bout that life)

-While obviously not Canon (Getsuga Tensho not epic explosion? Not 'bout that life), what Tatsuki was telling him was to fight in a manner similar to the way Post-Dangai Ichigo fights.

-While the sleeveless design is partially based on Post-Dangai Bankai, I figured it gave it a more martial arts-like appearance, like something Tatsuki would wear.


	35. Calm Before Rage

Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.

Kill the Moonlight

_"The terrorist attacks have gone farther than ever today, as the Chobara District was completely obliterated by explosions an-"_

"Man, that is rough, don't ya think?"

The man in the back seat of the taxi hummed an agreement before turning to look out of the window of the car. The driver looked over his shoulder and asked, "So where is it you're going exactly? You just said Karakura... You know the exact place, or are ya foreign to Japan? I can tell you're not from around here."

"...The Mitsumiya District... Urahara Shop."

* * *

"...What's wrong, Orihime?"

Orihime turned towards her sister as she sat next to her and sighed, "Nothing, really... It's just... I'm not sure...how Ichigo'll react."

Tatsuki's eyes widened for a second before she looked down at her feet and mumbled, "If he's anything like Karin..."

"He's not gonna be too happy..."

Tatsuki's face fell into sorrow as she added, "If he's even alive... I can't even sense him...nor Aizen or Juhabach... I can't even sense Ginjo..."

The auburn-haired girl crossed her arms and shouted, "Like hell! There's no way Ichigo would've been killed! He...He..."

"...He's not all-powerful, Orihime... That man... If he could do something like this..."

Orihime's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she straightened her face back and said, "He's okay... I know it..."

"...I'm glad that someone still believes in him... The Captains are still discussing replacements..."

Both Orihime and Tatsuki glanced behind them as Momo slowly walked past them towards the window. The twin sisters stared blankly at her in silence, making no move to comment. She then slowly turned around and gazed back at them before bowing her head.

"I'm sorry... For attacking and spying on you... If you feel uncomfortable around me, there's no need to worry... I'll be l-"

Both Tatsuki and Momo were equally surprised when Orihime interrupted, "There's no need to apologize... Ichigo forgave you, so I have no reason to be angry with you."

Momo's eyes widened as she stared blankly at the auburn-haired girl. After a moment of uncomfortable staring, Orihime turned away and frowned. After more awkward staring, she mumbled, "What?"

"...I never expected that... I thought you would've never forgiven me... But then again, you share many similarities with Ichigo... No wonder he's so attached to you..."

When Orihme recoiled back from her answer, Momo continued, "...I see you keep things hidden from you as well... You have his scowl...and his knack for coming up with excuses..."

"...Excuses?"

She then smiled to herself and walked past her while saying, "There's no need to feel threatened. Ichigo spent many days before Aizen's betrayal, wondering when he would see you again... He's just a friend to me."

When Momo finally left them, Orihime turned to her sister and asked, "What was that all about?"

Tatsuki simply shook her head and said, "It seems you're just as oblivious as he is... That's another similarity you both share."

_"Hey! Can you all hear me!?"_

Orihime jumped in surprise as a loud, static-like yell emitted behind her. She and her sister turned as a large screen fell from an opening in the ceiling. The screen flickered for a moment before revealing Kisuke on the screen.

_"Do you copy me!? Can anyon-!?"_

Tatsuki covered her ears and yelled, "Yes, we can hear you! Stop yelling, Urahara!"

The man on the screen grinned sheepishly and apologized, _"Sorry, Tatsuki. Is there anyone else there at the store with you?"_

"...Well... Father and Sora are here, along with Momo Hinamori and the Captains... The Kurosaki twins are here as well...but I don't think they're willing to speak now...especially Karin."

Kisuke frowned and asked, _"Did something happen?"_

Before the girls could answer, a new voice interrupted, "Gekkani Kurosaki happened. Isshin's...either dead or captured."

Uryu, followed by Momo and Sora, appeared behind the twins. Kisuke sat frozen in shock as his eyes shuffled through each individual in his shop. After a moment of silence, he mumbled, _"...How...? How did-"_

"...We felt Aizen's Reiatsu disappear, along with Ichigo's... And as we thought, those Valiants returned... Mr. Kurosaki held them off so Sora and I could escape..."

When Kisuke heard the name, he grumbled, _"So Kurotsuchi was right... The old Stern Ritter..."_

* * *

"So these Valiants...what's their story? Why were they Hollowfied?"

Tosen frowned slightly as he opened the door to the living quarters of the Espada's hideout. When both he and Ichigo finally entered the room, he sighed.

"...Those nine Stern Ritter were sent to Hueco Mundo... A mission to overthrow Baraggan Louisenbairn and take his stronghold of Las Noches. They didn't return in the same state... They were banished by their comrades, and hunted down by the Soul Reapers... Some died in the battle with Yamamoto, few made it out to survive."

Nodding, the young man asked, "Did Aizen hunt down the rest?"

"More or less. As I said, he was after the power that the Valiants possessed."

_"...This...contains a sample from the four types of races... Humans, Hollows, Soul Reapers, and Quincies... The Arrancar's are Hollows that have attained the powers of a Soul Reaper, and the opposite would be a human who has gained the powers of a Soul Reaper..."_

_ Tosen snapped his fingers as he realized immediately, "That means we have to go after Ginjo at some point... He's the only remaining Substitute Soul Reaper..."_

_ "As I said... He's a viable source of power for the Espada later... I'm more focused on the other side of the spectrum... The opposite of an Arrancar..."_

_ The Third Division Captain raised an eyebrow in confusion as he scratched at his head, and the other inquired, "...Do you mean a Hollow...that has abandoned its form for that of a Quincy? Wasn't that woman married to Captain Shiba the result of that?"_

_ "...That was a Quincy doing the opposite... But what if Arrancarification... a Hollow gaining Soul Reaper-like powers... What if it was stabilized by something else? Like... Quincification, perhaps?"_

Ichigo nodded and watched as Tosen paced around the room for something. He then thought about the man who killed Aizen and asked about him.

"Gekkani Kurosaki, if you haven't realized, is your mother's great-grandfather, and, along with the rest of the Valiants, was the originator of the Fullbringer Arts."

Frowning, Ichigo asked, "I thought Ginjo..."

"Ginjo advanced them... But Gekkani was the original, and he and his group are the few Pure Fullbringers in existence...and the difference between them and any other Fullbringer is apparent."

_The teenager growled out, "Shut up! I was more interested in what happened after he died... I wanna know about Juhabach...and his...uhhh...what was it called again, Riruka?"_

_"...You mean the Verbannung? I told you already... That was when he made the decision to eradicate Fullbringers."_

_ Orihime scowled and asked, "But why? You told me that Fullbring was derived from the Quincy technique, but I still don't understand the hatred for it..."_

_ Isshin frowned as he leaned back into the table and sighed, "You're right... Hate doesn't just spawn from nothing... Someone's gotta make that hatred into some kinda justice... But I'll tell you why the Quincy despise Fullbringers... There are three types of Fullbringers... Pure, Impure, and Incomplete."_

_ "...What? What do you mean by...____'types'__?"_

_ Isshin continued, "You see... Ginjo did not actually create Fullbring... He modernized it when he created Bringer Light and its use on the environment... The concept of Fullbring existed way before Ginjo's time..."_

_ Orihime placed her hand on her chin and nodded, commenting, "I figured as much..."_

_ "...That's where Verbannung comes in... The 'Exile' or 'Banishment'. That's because... Fullbring __is the worse ____punishment__ a Quincy could undergo...at least, in terms of their laws."_

_ Tatsuki tilted her head as she repeated, "Punishment? What the...?"_

_ "...You see, a Fullbringer is the equivalent of a Visored for Soul Reapers...a Quincy that has developed the powers of a Hollow...and like Soul Society, that's a big no-no... Verbannung was the banishment of the worst Quincies in existence... That is a ____'Pure'__ Fullbringer...a Hollowfied Quincy."_

"...Ginjo is a 'Pure' Fullbringer, but he never mastered his Quincy half to fully exploit that power. Sora partially embraces that concept, but that's because he possessed some of your former abilities... Other than the Valiants, you were the closest concept to a 'Pure' Fullbringer, and you would have been included if not due to your Soul Reaper abilities... Even you should remember."

_"Ichigo! Get back from his Cero!"_

_ Ichigo's mind didn't register the yell from Ginjo as he stood in shock at the red light appearing from the Hollow's mouth._

_ '...That's...a Cero!?'_

_ Before Ichigo could react, the beam was fired, and Ichigo was encompassed in red light._

_ "Crap! Ichigo!"_

_ However, the only that registered was that an even more ominous presence had appeared from the red light. Both the Captain and Ginjo stared in awe as a hand appeared from the light, seemingly tossing away the Cero as if it were nothing._

_ "...Don't worry... I'll finish this in an instant."_

_ Ichigo stood in the center, his body covered in a black bodysuit with skeletal armor, along with red fur around his neck, wrists, and ankles. From underneath his armor, a black coattail trimmed with red flowed behind him. On his right shoulder was a black, leather shoulder guard with a large, red Reishi wing protruding from it. In his hand was a thin, black Daito, which had the Kanji for "Final" as its handle guard, which flowed up his arm with a thick chain._

_ '...Even though that blade contains the powers of a Soul Reaper, and that wing is a representation of a Quincy... This Reiatsu is definitely a Fullbringer's... I can feel the blood thirst from "Whitey" even from this distance.'_

"You held that form for a second before Aizen transformed you into a Substitute Soul Reaper. That final form is the true power of the Valiants... It pushes their Quincy Reiatsu to the side, and the Hollow's Reiatsu takes over... That's why you and Karin Kurosaki, possessing the powers of a Human-Soul Reaper hybrid, can render that power useless by canceling it out."

Ichigo scowled and questioned, "Was that why he wished to speak with me? Because we, at one point, possessed similar powers?"

"...If you were locked away for hundreds of years, and suddenly wake to find that you still have family, what would you do? He, like Ginjo's brother and Uryu's grandfather, wanted to recruit his legacy. If anything, he was surprised to find that the two Kurosaki members left are, in fact, Soul Reapers."

The young man blinked before looking down at his feet. While Ichigo was busy thinking, Tosen stopped pacing and placed his hands on a nearby wall. It faded away, revealing a set of computers.

"Lucky for us, their legacies are not too helpful... You, Ginjo, and Uryu are against them, and that useless Don Kanonji possesses the bare minimum power to even see spirits..."

Suddenly snapping his head towards Tosen, Ichigo questioned, "That idiot? He's a Quincy?"

"...Even that's questionable... I've been looking over many of their relatives, and I don't see many that would be helpful."

Moving over to the computer screen, he looked over the different people and the information that was gathered by them, probably by Aizen. While he recognized a few, including the tanned woman with the dreads ("...Misao Kanonji? I'd be embarrassed to see my son in such a shape..."), there was one that stood out to him the most.

"...Oscar Joaquin de la Rosa... I swear I've heard that name before..."

Tosen answered quickly, "Your friend, Chad Yasutora. That should trigger it."

Ichigo's eyes widened while the man began furiously typing again, bringing up someone else. It was a picture of a woman with lengthy, dark hair that splayed wildly across her face. She appeared to have a slight blush, along with a comedic smirk on her face.

"...Who is she...?"

Tosen shrugged and announced, "She is the one I'm worried the most about. Her death is recent, closest to Joaquin and she was assigned the letter 'G'..."

"...That's pretty high on the alphabet... She must be pretty powerful..."

A voice behind him answered, "Out o' all of Juice Box's little rejects, she's actually the scariest..."

Ichigo turned around as soon as Gin slowly limped into the room, his everlasting grin still planted on his face. The young man narrowed his eyes and questioned, "And why is that?"

Tosen sighed and explained, "Out of all the Valiants, Aizen has collected very little information on her. Which is odd, as I told you she was killed recently...a day before Joaquin."

The ditzy, goofy smirk on the woman's face seemed a lot darker than before, Ichigo mused... As if she was hiding something.

Yes... He wondered if she was more powerful than Gekkani, this Uruko Tsumugiya...

* * *

"Karin...?"

She heard the timid voice of her sister behind her, but made no motion of appearing to respond. Yuzu eased her way next to her and stood alongside her as she looked outside of the Urahara Shop.

"...Y-You know... It's o-okay... to be sad, Karin..."

Karin scoffed and mumbled, "Talk to me again once you stop crying... I'm not sad... In this type of world, there's no time to be sad... You have to push forward against the currents of time, so that you don't drown in its sorrows..."

Yuzu tilted her head in confusion, and Karin revealed, "...That was the last coherent thing Goat-face ever told me before I left Karakura."

"...I thought so... There was no way you could have came up with something that cool sounding at a time like this."

The dark sister turned and glared playfully at her twin before saying, "You know... I thought you would have snapped by now..."

She smiled sadly and looked down at her feet. She sighed and commented, "...We're forty-three, Karin... I've had years to grow from that little crybaby in our younger days..."

"...At times... You really do come through like Mom..."

Yuzu giggled, and the two sat in silence until the sound of a car echoed from the outside of the shop. She moved the curtains a little further so both of the sisters could see.

"...Why is a Taxi here?"

When the head of brown hair appeared from the inside of the cab, their jaws dropped in shock of who had arrived.

"Holy shit... Is that...?"

Both of the women took off in a mad dash, passing by the large screen as they ran outside. Uryu yelped as the girls knocked him over, and his jaws of his daughters dropped in shock. Even Kisuke was wondering what was going on.

Following after the women, the group paused when they noticed the tall, tanned man standing far above Yuzu and Karin as they excitedly greeted him.

* * *

"...Do we strike the Vandenreich, Gekkani? Take their base?"

The long-haired Valiant frowned and shook his head, answering, "There is no point. Once the Soul Society falls, all dimensions will fall after... Just wait, old man...until they come back..."

The man watched as the Kototsu zoomed past him as he waited from behind a portal. Behind him was a rocky wasteland with many canyons and mountains that seemingly stretched for miles and miles.

Zeidritz frowned as he watched Gekkani, who stared through the portal at the sweeping cleaner. Behind him, Hubert stood alongside Yago and Soken, who were all standing in various places among the rocky outcrop.

They all surrounded the body of Isshin Kurosaki, crouched over and tied with ropes. At the end of each rope was a rod-like prong. Gekkani turned to him and mumbled, "You will be the stepping stone to our future, false one."

Obviously, the man was unconscious, so he didn't respond. Gekkani turned back to the Kototsu and stated, "...In a week... Soul Society will crumble indefinitely. The world will suffer, and we will be free to return home once more..."

* * *

Trivia:

-I had planned to hold the identities of the Valiant's future relatives, but decided to reveal them. The only thing that's still hidden is all of their motives.

-In Canon, Don Kanonoji was born with the name Misao, which he changed to Misaomaru. In this story, bearing the same name as his mother was the reason he changed it to Misaomaru.

-Also worth noting that he's retired in this story, so he probably won't appear. I just figured he might have had a Spiritually Aware relative and decided to use him.

-Reason these last two chapters were so spaced out was because I was planning a new story (Quincy!Ichigo) and I've finally gotten to a decent point where I'm willing to post it.


End file.
